Experiment ?
by mercinicus2
Summary: Another! Unmarked, undocumented. A spherical dehydrated ball, without a number. Impossible! All experiments have been found. So when Lilo and Stitch find in the hands of an old enemy, what would it entail? What does it do? Meanwhile, Sparky is having problems of his own, he is torn between what he should and what he wants. The lighthouse seems to be getting smaller by the minute.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The engine revved, the modified engine easily breaching speeds never originally intended for the fragile engine. In the driver's seat Stitch the little blue mutant, experiment drove one handed. The other three were doing some sort of charades, or dancing it was hard to tell at the speed they were going. Lilo on the other front seat was strapped to her chair by the sheer G-force. They were finally coming back from the two weeks spent at watching the national hula competition in Honolulu the first big journey they had been on alone. Since they had caught every experiment Nani, Lilo's older sister, had surmised that driving to a Hula competition was only half as dangerous as chasing down certified cataclysmic creations, turning them from bad to good and finding a place where they were truly happy.

"WE HAVE TO CHECK ON THE EXPERIMENTS WHEN WE GET BACK" shrieked Lilo battling the huge G-force, and losing.

"Pfff, they fine… probably Ohana strong, coconut cake, yeeaahh" apparently stitch's vast arsenal of mutations included immunity to large G-force, this didn't stop the drool from whipping all over the leather seats.

"STOP DROOLING, NANI WILL KILL ME IF I GET THE SEATS WET"

Stitch kept drooling. 

As time went by the scenery changed from the jungly dirt roads to more familiar jungly dirt roads. Without breaking Stitch made a sharp turn.

"shortcut!" he said through a mouth full of drool.

The jeep turned down a narrow mountain path. The path followed the cliffs down all the way to Kauai. The cliff was a huge fall, Lilo looked over the edge.

"BE CAREFUL STITCH"

At that moment Stitch decided to break hard.

"OW, Stitch that hurt." nursing her arm." why did you stop?"

Stitch jumped out of the jeep, onto all fours and sniffed.

"What do you smell?"

"Uh… Gantu?" Sniffing the trail.

"Gantu isn't on earth anymore Stitch,"

"No Gantu!" looking into the trees,

"Stitch, I said…"

"No GANTU!" pointed Stitch at the hulking grey form through the trees.

"GANTU!" called Lilo,

"Oh Blitzsnack," said the amphibian henchman. He started to run down a narrow path between the trees, noticeably pocketing a round object.

"Cousin?" questioned Stitch,

"After him Stitch!" 

Lilo and Stitch followed in close pursuit Stitch hopping from tree to tree, letting his destructive instincts take over.

"Come on, you finally miss ONE experiment then you, come across me BY ACCIDENT, you're supposed to be in Honolulu!" Grabbing his plasma blaster, he turned and fired rounds into the trees. All the shots hit trees melting the trunks. The tree tops, finding they no longer had a trunk, started falling, depositing coconuts and mangos and bananas all over the ground.

"ahhh" Stitch smiled plans forming in his head,

"Lilo, idea!" whispered Stitch, popping out from a bush,

"What are you thinking, Stitch?" Lilo replied

Stitch pointed to the fruit salad on the ground,

"Gotcha," Lilo smiled. 

"Where are you trog?" Gantu was still, listening for any sign of Stitch, he squared his plasma blaster into the shadows in the trees.

"I know you're there somewhere,"

Suddenly out of the trees, an orange flash, and then he couldn't see. He smelt mango, then banana, then kiwi.

"You think you can beat me with fruit!" He shouted, flailing his arms, he began wildly shooting into the darkness- blind he hit nothing but foliage.

He tried to step back, but he stood on something round and hard, losing balance he tried to stabilize himself, but stepped on another round hard object, and another then something hit him square in the chest. He fell, landing on lots of hard, round things. Wiping his eyes he realised he was moving, but how? It took him five seconds to realise coconuts were hard and round- and five more to realise he was rolling down a hill on them; and he wasn't stopping.

"I still have the experiment, trog!" then he collided head first into a coconut tree,

"Oh Blitzsnack," and a few more coconuts to the head knocked him out cold. 

"Nice idea Stitch, and I don't think we have done that one before," Lilo ruffled his hair,

"Betta me dwah?" he asked,

"No, add it to the list,"

Walking up to Gantu large unconscious body Stitch heard a rustle in the trees; he stopped. A coconut rolled out from the brush. Stitch dived into his pocket retrieving the round sphere.

"Cousin?" Stitch held it out to Lilo,

"I thought we had every experiment,"

"Ih" he confirmed,

"Look Stitch, no number,"

"Yeah, no number, no cousin?" His ears drooped disappointed,

"Well it looks like a pod… and feels like a pod… He did say it was an experiment, but Gantu IS a big dummy… I guess we won't know until we put it in water,"

"Ih, I want to meet new cousin!" he looked renewed,

"Come on lets go back to the jeep, we need to talk to Jumba,"

Lilo started walking back through the trees to the jeep, Stitch took one more look at the unconscious Gantu easily filling the roads small width.

"Why you really back?" he said, and followed Lilo through the melting trees and squashed fruit. 

Gantu rubbed his head.

"This better not swell up, man you never get used to this kind of thing," He muttered,

"Wow, I am amazed, you know this is an all time low for you fish-brain," Experiment 625, Rueben jumped out of the trees, phone in one hand, and the mutilated remains of an egg salad sandwich in the other,

"Did they even THROW a punch, beaten by fruit and coconuts, well done, you know I lost half of my sandwich making sure I got it all on camera," He cowered in mock fear, " oh please not the mangoes, anything but the mangoes. It was pure comedy that was, they almost noticed me because I was laughing so hard,"

"You better have got that on camera because we can't do it again," He whined still rubbing the swollen patches,

"yeah I got a nice close up of your face there, covered in mango juice, have you ever thought about joining the circus?"

"Come on lets go… Do you have another egg salad sandwich?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Experiment 221, Sparky, lightning by name, lightning by nature- designed by the evil genius Jumba Jookiba to cause electrical power surges with lightning fast movements and electrical surges transmitted through his pores at huge concentration, each yellow hair was filled, battery like, with enough flat electrical power to short circuit a 4 watt bulb. Advanced hearing and vision capabilities. A sophisticated digestion system converted food into raw electricity which was purified, concentrated and channelled at will. Built with lightning quick reactions and flight. Sparky was, without doubt a dangerous weapon of destruction… or he was. Just like his family of 625 cousins, he had been made good and given his 'one true place'. The one difference between him and all the others was that Sparky was not happy with his 'one true place'.

Spinning, Spinning- same scenery day after day, week after week, stuck in the same rotating spot on the spotlight. Electrical wires clipped to his antenna were beginning to rash, and the flat metal spot he sat got more uncomfortable by the minute. He groaned and whined as the other experiments went about their exciting lives. He saw cannonball plummet into the ocean, again and again sending huge waves beach-ward. Yin and Yang, could be seen in the distance, building from scratch a whole new volcano. He looked forlornly at his 'nest'. Piles of food, loose batteries littered the floor, (he liked batteries- gave him a buzz) a few discarded magazines adorned railings and hooks. Many of which had been mutilated, ripped and burned. Formally these magazines were filled with latest fashion suggestions- Pleakly liked to donate his used magazines. Sparky decided he didn't like fashion magazines pretty quickly. He was of sitting and watching the world go by. He wanted to leave but he knew he couldn't. last time he decided to leave: canoe's beached; yachts crashed on rocks getting massive holes. A lot of unhappy people, lots of complaints. A lot of his cousins were up late patching boats, cleaning beaches, calming down angry people. Lilo made Sparky apologize to every man, women and genetically mutated cousin inconvenienced by him, and told not to leave the lighthouse, except for emergencies. If he wanted something he should call. But he wanted to go outside and play and talk stuff he couldn't do since Lilo and Stitch had stopped visiting. He was bored and lonely. Spending so long alone in the lighthouse he started getting… urges. Sometimes when an especially large ship came close to the rocks below the lighthouse, he got a sudden urge to switch the light off. Or else just fly down and zap the ships steering and laugh as it crashes on the rocks. He shook his head- he was a good cousin. But no one came to visit him anymore. Maybe they had forgotten.

"Oh-hana, no one left behind… or forgotten,"

He would say this every time he thought this. But then… it had been so long since someone had visited. Standing up he shook his head frantically, feeling the wires chaff the fur on his antenna. He flicked them encouraging circulation. Then took off flying round and round the lighthouse letting bolts of lightning jolt the mainly metal interior. A foghorn blew, a massive cruise ship passed by the rocks beneath. Grabbing the wires he shook his head again' just five minutes' said the bad voice in his head.

"nagaa, Sparky is good"

He landed, lay down grabbing a pillow and an electric blanket, the urge was very strong now but he had to resist the allure of evil. Though it was still sunny and the glare of the spotlight intense, Sparky started counting experiments. Still sparking he fell into disturbed sleep, where he was evil again destroying appliances of every kind flying through cities zapping everyone he met.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The jeep tumbled down the road. Lilo cradled the 'Experiment pod' close to her chest, while Stitch was restless. Lilo had asked him to drive slower and Stitch did not like being slow. He liked to be the fastest.

Slowly he sped up, so Lilo wouldn't notice. He looked over at her, ever since they had collected every experiment they had become a bit restless. Checking the experiments was her job but she saw it as a chore now. Stitch found she was skipping 'check days' to go out and boast her adventures to her 'friends'. Stitch didn't understand why mean girls came ahead of cousins; but he didn't complain. He wanted to but he was bored of checking and the mean girls. He was built for destruction and adventure, and he wasn't getting either. His creator, Dr Jumba Jookiba said that '626 made for war, not peace, if 626 doesn't destroy things, he get restless, then next time he is angry- boom- destructive instincts take over'. Lilo had asked that Stitch's destructive instincts be taken out, Jumba just laughed and said' silly little girl, evil genius experiment cannot have evil taken out, then is just genius experiment'. Besides Stitch liked destroying things.

Lilo looked at the pod cradle delicately in her hands, could it be another cousin? If it was what then? she would turn it good and find it another home. But then they would be back where they started no experiments to catch. Plus she would have another experiment to check on. She used to love checking the experiments but it was the same every day. s When she checked they were always happy they were always too busy to talk, doing there important jobs. She was just a distraction to them. So she had started spending more time with her 'friends'. Weirdly they were a lot more friendly when she didn't have some form of mutant dog by her side.

As the jeep sped haphazardly down the cliff coast road. A strong wind blew up the hill. The trees swayed blanketing the ground with leaves and branches. The bushes rustled with exuberance. Suddenly a large deer leapt form the trees into the path of the jeep. immediately he growled spinning the wheel violently the car jerked, tyres screeching, the fragile drive shaft took the force with a tolerance only a specially modified jeep could withstand. The animal instinctively jumped away in fear, eyes small as the tiny brain tried to comprehend the danger. The sudden jump from the deer surprised another. A bat-like creature tumbled out of the trees colliding with the deer. The force knocked the deer, with its extra weight, unto its back. Shock imbued its confused face. Stitch had just enough time to regret speeding up before he jerked the car into the bushes at the side of the road. The force sent Lilo to the very edge of the seat belts range. Her arms flung forward and she left her seat completely for a second. The hands opened releasing the white pod. Glinting with radiance before bouncing, and as a ball, followed the direction of the incline straight toward the edge of the cliff. The jeep ground to a halt. Its progressed stalled by a tree and several bushes. Four shocked and confused faces tentatively raised.

Once Stitch had backed the jeep carefully from its bed in the bush, they confronted the pair on the street. The deer, in shock from the experience stood and meandered into the trees suspended in disbelief. The other they recognised as Snooty, experiment 277, he sat up looking longingly back at the deer. Once he recognised his family, however he forgot his programming. He jumped up looking grateful and relieved. Picking him up and placing him on the back seat of the car. Lilo asked what he was doing so far out of Kauai. Snooty told her about how he saw a congested deer at the edge of the woods- then another- then another then he was lost. He had been gone for about a week. This made Lilo think: It might not have happened had she been there to check on them.' Must check on the rest of the experiments once I get back' she thought. But first the pod that had fallen out of her hand. The cliff levelled further down the hill, so they went there. The white experiment pod stood out clearly against the brown rocks. Several rocks jutted out of the see lancing up to the sky, the waves dashed against the rocks trying to knock them down in vain. The pod sat perched atop the tallest rock. Lilo thought aloud:

"Stitch you can't get to the pod but Snooty can,"

Snooty had already flown to the pod, picking it up in his mouth, carefully started flying back. However as he was flying a sudden burst of light blinded him. Without sight, he meandered crashing into the cliff side his wings tangled he began to fall toward the ocean, still clutching the pod in his mouth. Stitch leapt to a spear of rock - spray from the ocean smothering him, despite the slippery rocks and water he leapt again to the cliff side clutching at smooth, slippery rock his claws refused to attach to the rock. Snooty was falling un able to recover, he was going to land on Stitch's head. Clutching a small bunch of barnacles his arms ready to catch the falling cousin. But at that moment the pod fell out of his mouth. Giving up an arm he caught the pod. But now he only had two arms left to catch his cousin- not enough. But then- an idea! The adrenaline pumped wiping out his boredom. Throwing the pod as high as he could he let his cousin fall into three arms:

"Open mouth," He said,

Snooty opened his mouth wide, and like an open bag it caught the pod in Snooty's mouth. Then the clump of barnacles detached from the rock plunging the two into the rocky see. Recovered Snooty grabbed Stitch by his ears barely able to lift him, wings struggling in the strong winds, buffeted by spray he struggled to lift him back to the smooth ground where Lilo was waiting open- mouthed, and with baited breath. Snoopy dropped Stitch deposited the pod in Lilo's hand and crashed into the back seat of the jeep panting heavily.

"Nice job Snooty- you too Stitch!"

Stitch sat down the adrenaline draining form his body and mind. That was the excitement he needed, and now he might have another cousin to meet. Stitch felt his old enthusiasm return in bulk.

"That was fun!" he shouted mid-pant,

Jumping into the back of the jeep he hugged Snooty,

"Thank you Snooty," He said,

Returning the hug Snooty curled into a ball,

"Now let's go Stitch but slow this time… please, and don't think I won't pretend not to notice this time,"

"ahhh" Stitch said disappointed,

The again the jeep started with a splutter of smoke and Stitch drove relatively slowly down the road for the town of Kauai and their house, pod in hand. Lilo looked toward the lighthouse, the spotlight was spinning but the light kept growing brighter then dimming then even brighter then dimming. Have to tell Sparky to stop playing with the light she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The small town of Kauai bustled with activity, local men and women bartered, shopped and exchanged terse greetings with each other. Mixed in with the regulars were huddled groups of tourists. They stuck together like penguins in a snowstorm, penguins with cameras and Hawaiian shirts. The people parted like the red sea, as the Jeep trundled past sporting a big red engine on the back. After dropping Snoopy off, they headed up the incline toward Lilo's home.

As they parked loudly under the porch, Pleakly and Nani raced down the stairs to greet them. Pleakly, today, was the veritable definition of colourful. Multi-coloured nylon dress and a bright yellow shirt, a large black afro sat lop- sided on his head draping down. Nani sported the more manly costume, jeans and a shirt.

"Lilo you're late, I was getting worried, how about I order pizza for dinner," Nani stroked her cheek,

"YOU were getting worried, what about me, poor Pleakly, you can't just take off like that and for so long too! Oh I'm going to get wrinkles from all this worry,"

"Calm down Pleakly, we're Ok, right Stitch?"

"Ih," Stitch shrugged off Pleakly who was checking him for injuries.

"Why are the seats all wet, Lilo," Nani had her hands inspecting the seats where Stitch and Snooty had been.

"Oh… I can tell you later- we need to see Jumba though,"

"Jumba, what's so important that you can't give us a proper hello? I've been so worried!"

"It's ok Pleakly they are probably tired, come on I'll order the pizza,"

With that they all went inside. Nani disappeared into the Kitchen. Pleakly, Lilo and Stitch went up to Jumba's makeshift laboratory. As they turned the corner they noticed a green glow coming from the cracks in the closed door.

"Oh no, green, when Jumba's doing something green it normally turns out evil."

"Jumba," Lilo said opening the door,

Jumba turned round in his swivel chair, a modified pair of goggles, with space for all four of his eyes, adorned his face, apparently Pleakly had stuck feathers to the rims of the goggles- they had been singed though.

"Ah, little girl and 626 are back, how was modified Earth vehicle."

"Fine, maybe bit too fast though."

"Eiqutaka, vroom vroom, moqua porta" Stitch said looking at Lilo,

"626 is disagreeing, says that car is not fast enough,"

"We almost crashed though,"

"nagaa, eiqutaka,"

"Anyway, Jumba did we miss any experiments?" inquired Lilo,

"No we have not,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, what has little girl found?"

Lilo was holding out the white pod. Jumba picked it up inspecting it closely.

"Is much like experiment pod, lack of moisture, but is not,"

Pressing a button on his goggles he looked again.

"No little girl, is not experiment,"

"But we found Gantu with it in the forest, are you sure it's not,"

"Are you doubting evil genius opinion!" he laughed," Is not experiment, look, I show you,"

Grabbing a vile filled with water he dropped the pod into the water. What followed was familiar to them all, a sphere of energy rose from the water. Shapes and colours flowed like liquid inside, flowing, fusing and settling into position. Then the bubble of energy burst- leaving a small furry experiment.

"Some genius you are," said Pleakly looking over Lilo's shoulder, "Who is he?"

"But is impossible, we caught all experiments." Jumba scratched his head. Then Jumba spun round. He began tapping at his modified computer.

"Did you forget about this one," Lilo bent down. The experiment stirred, breathing its first breath of fresh air.

"Hello," said Lilo,

Stitch jumped up to the experiment inspecting it.

"Looks like cousin,"

"Looks like, but is not, look." He spun the screen round showing rows of ticks down the page.

The experiment stood up, flexing his limbs-six like Stitch- his burgundy fur bristled with as the elation of reattachment wore off. His head was round with small cupped ears, and perhaps most noticeable was the smooth grey ovals that appeared at regular intervals on his arms and one big one on his forehead. He wore a vacant look- almost confused. He looked at the four heads staring unblinkingly at him. He scratched his fur, sat up and stretched, then he stood and yawned. When he finished he stood, his ears rotated.

"You know- I was expecting something a bit more violent," Pleakly commented.

"Is not made by evil genius, perhaps not evil," Jumba looked at the creature.

"Well that would make a change," Pleakly turned and began organizing his wig collection.

"What can you do little guy," Lilo bent and scratched him under the chin.

"You know- I have no idea," said the furry experiment-like creature.

"Well you can talk, at least, where do you come from buddy?"

"Yeah, see, all I remember is going to sleep in a dark room, ok?"

"Hold still," Jumba swabbed the mouth of the experiment, "I might find something with a simple DNA test eh?"

"Ok but no surgery," turning to Lilo," Where am I anyway."

"We are on Earth, Hawaii, I am Lilo and this is Stitch," Stitch was pacing round the experiment, poking and brushing.

"Hey, when does the exercise therapy end? Cause I am hungry,"

"Stitch hungry too,"

"Come on lets have some food, you coming Pleakly?"

"I'll be out in a second, as an Earth expert I need an appropriate wig to wear."

"You don't need a wig for dinner Pleakly, what about you Jumba?"

"I want to check something,"

Lilo, Stitch and the newcomer left to have pizza, ordered by Nani. Pleakly left as soon as he had chosen a bright blonde wig, and matching dinner wear. Jumba kept tapping on the touch screen of his supercomputer.

"I did not make experiment, then why is he so similar. I think someone has been messing around in my old lab, must tell the grand councilwoman to check, here is hoping it is not you-know-who."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sparky awoke suddenly as the lighthouse shook. The door had been thrown open- and violently. Sparky growled bending low, throwing off the wires. His antenna vibrated with static electricity his fur pricked in preparation. He had been caught before and it wasn't happening again. Footsteps clunked heavily up the metal staircase. The sound resounded, each step heavier and closer than the last. Rearing back, Sparky, puffed out his chest, ready for danger. A bald head appeared at the staircase followed by an angry face- a human face.

The angry man, shaved bald complete in a one piece suit and shiny black shoes. In clearly spotless formal wear he had opted for mirrored lens sunglasses which he constantly resettled on the bridge of his nose. He stared down at Sparky with practised authority.

"I bet you are the one who has been playing with the light." From the inside of his crimson waistcoat he drew a small leather- bound notebook. After making a great show of flicking through the pages he settled on one and read:

"My cruise was wonderful up until the night party, we were passing a lighthouse that kept turning on and off. Such strove lighting did little to satisfy the class of my guests thus I am sad to say the chance of me repeating such a voyage is unlikely," Snapping the book closed he sighed, pushing his sunglasses down his nose, he drew close to touching,

"I say that in the interest of my customers, I must ask that you stop interfering with the publically funded establishment, or may I remind you that my enterprise is responsible for 70 percent of your pitiful towns income,"

Sparky who, truth be told, wasn't really listening- he was staring unblinkingly at the cruise ship gliding seamlessly; dangerously close to the rocks. But he returned to reality just in time to hear "Publically funded," He drew himself to full height allowing his six arms to fill with the electrical current, more powerful than the Manhattan power grid. With a flick he sent a Jigawatt jolt right through the big man. The sheer power sent the man careering toward the wall of the lighthouse. The man's Spotless one piece suit instantly combusted the rubber soles of the designer shoes managed to soak up a large portion of the shock. However, it was still enough to burn every item of clothing to crisp ashes that floated upon the breeze out the lighthouse toward the cruise ship. The surge didn't stop once the man connected with the wall. It conducted out of him straight into the metal walls, the metal plates passed the current on and on till the lighthouse physically shook with pent up electrical energy. It flowed through the plates into the workings of the spotlight: It travelled up wires melting the copper interior; it incinerating the plastic exterior; it fried the small motors that made it rotate and finally it filled the spotlight's heavy duty bulbs. The bulbs grew brighter and brighter like a cup of water getting fuller and fuller and inevitably it overflowed. The bulbs shook with violent force, the vibrations increasing unto the point of collapse and beyond. The bulbs finally burst. The resulting shards blasted in all directions raining down upon an ecstatic Sparky. His prison was gone. Now millions of pieces. He felt empowered- elated once his family found out he knew they would be unhappy. If they ever found out. They never visited so why should they? He thought the last one with absolute certainty. If they don't care why should I? With that he took off leaving just enough time to hear the man say:

"Publically funded,"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"I can't wait to find out what your power is!" Lilo bounced with excitement feeling the suspense settle.

"Hey sorry pal, but I have no idea what my power could be," he mumbled through a mouth full of cake.

"We… make… cousin… member," Stitches mouthed stretched to physical limits to fit in the copiously large piece of cake.

"That is a great idea Stitch." Immediately she jumped to her feet and raced toward Jumba's lab, the two experiments heard the door close and mumbled voices behind it.

Both pairs of eyes swivelled settling on the half eaten slice of cake left behind by Lilo. Both jumped overturning their respective chairs, twelve arms went for the slice. Only two arms made the rest locked with its counter-part,

"Hey buddy back away, I touched it first it belongs to me," The red experiment squinted,

"Tiqa muha," The blue experiment replied returning the squint,

"Yeah- well I bet you broke the scales last time you weighed yourself, eh buddy?"

"Nagaa, tu tiqa muha,"

"You sure you want to fight about this,"

"Ih,"

"Then prepare yourself 'cause it's on,"

"Maybe you are cousins after all," Lilo had reappeared and was watching them from the door frame. "No one argues over food like Stitch and his cousins," She inserted herself between the two, pushing them apart to finish her cake. Once she had, she laid a long list on the table.

"Jumba said that this is a list, categorizing all the experiments we have come across. He says,' _If strange monster has a skill it is probably in this catalogue'._

"Yeah, but I better discover my skill soon, I have appearances to uphold now,"

The as- of- yet unnamed experiment slumped unto the sofa, lying down he was barely half its length. He felt a breeze then the force of a slam as Nani entered the house throwing down her purse and coat, the contents spilled out, money, hairpins, a water bottle and a newspaper.

"If anyone asks I am in bed and tell them to not disturb me, ah it's been a long one, boss had me on inventory,"

He continued lounging- he was stuffed full with some delicious chewy round flat food, that got cut into segments. They called it 'Pizza'. He felt he should remember the name, not that he had much remembering to do. Ever since he had fallen asleep, then awakened, in a strange house- full of strange people, none of which looked the same but were a 'family' but not really: he had been a bit dazed. He had no idea who to trust and what he was supposed to do. Apparently he was an experiment like the Stitch thing, but at the same time not like Stitch. If he was an experiment he must have a purpose, some ultimate goal, a reason for existing, some ambition imbued unto him by his creator, but no underlining goal reared its head.

"ah well,"

The girl 'Lilo' jumped through the door followed by the blue mutant- thingy named 'Stitch'.

"Ok… um… I guess I can't name you until I find out what you can do so… Your temporary name can be… uh." She began looking around the room looking for some suitable nick-name. Lilo noticed a couple of clippings from fashion magazines, stuck against the wall. This was actually Pleakly's 'to buy' list. One clipping caught her eye-'half price trilby's this weekend only'.

"Trilby… I like it,"

"Until we find out what you can do, you can be called Trilby."

"Fine, now can we see what I can do, huh."

"We don't know where you came from, or what your powers are but we're going to try and find out,"

Trilby scratched himself, stretched and yawned.

"Let's do it,"

"First of all try 'strength' Stitch," Stitch grabbed a bookcase emptying the contents over the floor. He then surreptitiously tossed it at Trilby. He recoiled prepared for a painful impact. It hit him in the head, which left him sprawled on the rug. He sat up stroking his head.

"Nah I don't think that's it,"

Taking out a list Lilo crossed one box marked 'STRENGTH'.

"Next is agility." moving down the list.

Stitch threw open the front door and leapt out. He uprooted trees, stacked them, then he grabbed the spare tyres from storage. Arranging the trees as road blocks and tyres as virtual as an obstacle course.

"Nice work Stitch," inspecting the course, "now make a lap time,"

Stitch sped round the course with super-human speed… Or be it genetically modified super- speed.

When Trilby tried, however, it was clear he was not built for speed either. Hours past, and they got no closer to finding his ability or skill. They tried every possible type of mutation from Jumba's lists. Everything from throwing him off the roof , to making him sit and stare at an empty peanut jar- and try to turn it to something else. But as the day wore on, Trilby began to lose hope. These people kept talking about special experiments, like him, each with a unique power. Then he turned up from nowhere. What was he made for? Was he a discarded failure? He scratched the smooth oval on his bottom-left arm. If he didn't have some power how could Lilo give him a place he belongs. A genetic mutation- like Jumba's 627 experiments- can have a purpose using the power of destruction for good, but a genetic mutation with no power has no use, and by definition, no place.

But once all the options were exhausted as well as their energy and snack supply- and apparently the sun.

"Maybe you need the right situation for your skill to take effect." Lilo hugged him,

"Yeah… yeah… probably,"

They paraded into the house- exhausted from the day's activity. They trudged heavily, and wearily. Kicking Nani's abandoned accessories as they went- Trilby collapsed unto the sofa. Lilo walked up to him.

"Don't worry Trilby, I am sure we can find out what you can do, and I bet it's really cool as well. Like… Unlimited shave ice!"

"Sounds good, yeah,"

Stitch growled, he had got pages of the 'Kauai daily', impaled on his claws. He began shaking frantically trying to dislodge the paper. When it did not come loose- he chewed his way through. The scraps were dispersed around the room. Something in the remains of the paper caught her eye. Walking over, she picked up the paper, what she saw caused her mouth to drop open in disbelief. The picture showed the charred walls of the lighthouse. Blackened with scorch marks. It got quickly worse as it went up. Big black stains clung to the lighthouse like a disease. The plated metal had bent out of shape, and motors and loose wires still sparked like tiny stars, in the night. The description, was more disconcerting. _A man, the director of Hatan cruises, was found after the explosion at the lighthouse. He third degree burns and in shock, but is due to recover. Witness' accounts talk of a strange yellow bolt fleeing the scene at the lighthouse. Can it be true? Is there a monster living in Kauai capable of burning a metal lighthouse. Hear at Kauai news he advice caution and report any sightings of a 'flying yellow bolt'._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The trees were a blur, Green and brown melded together. The ground disappeared before them. They breached the sound barrier smashing it with absolute certainty. The little hovercraft, weighed down by Lilo and Stitch: was bound for the lighthouse. A ten minute walk at least, but distance and speed were meaningless in the craft. In seconds they were at the Kauai lighthouse. It was worse now than it was before. The heated metal infrastructure had bent when the winds blew. It was now lopsided bent like the 'leaning tower of piza'. But the analogy was lost under the layer of shock. Lilo and Stitch parked the hovercraft in the a glade close by to hide the craft. Running up to the lighthouse, she felt the wind blow toward them, it brought a smell like a broken down car, melted metal. As she came close to the disfigured building she reached out for the door.

"Wait!" a man had seen them, Lilo was too focussed to notice as her hand came close to the metal door a spark leapt from the door to her hand. She jumped back with a scream. Stitch instantly, and instinctively, jumped to attention, he growled. The door sparked.

"I told you to wait." A small plump man had grabbed her by the hand."The whole thing is electrified. We think it was some freak storm. lightning bolt hit the tower, light goes ka-bloom. I said it would happen, I always said it would," he began leading her over to where marquees had been pitched. "It happened at the worst time. Poor man. It gave him quite a shock I tell you. He's spouting gibberish about some oversized yellow rat."

Instantly Lilo turned to Stitch with incomprehension they shared.

"An 'oversized yellow rat'… can we meet him please." Lilo was concerned, no doubt he was not talking gibberish. He was in fact talking about Sparky. Stitch read the signs as well. He started to sniff out a trace on Sparky.

"I suppose so, but you won't get anything out of him, Big yellow rats, ha!" He pointed at a man, who was clearly the one he was talking about, he was wearing clothes that looked borrowed, parts too big and parts too small. he was still wearing a pair of sunglasses, but the lenses had popped out, and he was staring concernedly at the lighthouse- as if waiting for it to grow legs and hunt him. Lilo approached slowly:

"Hello?" she asked, and when an answer didn't come she asked, "I am Lilo." again nothing." You saw a friend of mine, do you know where he went?" But he just sat staring unblinkingly at the lighthouse. Lilo was about to give up when:

"No friends… Just demons," Without looking he pointed at a scorched and melted pair of rubber soled shoes. "A big one, yellow, he looked at me with twisted pair of eyes." He pointed at the lighthouse." The demon was twisted, the lighthouse is twisted, I am twisted now."

"Where did the… demon go?" Lilo asked hurriedly to keep him talking, He pointed toward the town. "The demon will find more things to twist."  
Lilo had heard enough. Sparky wasn't a demon. He is just confused. She turned to leave, she saw Stitch trying to trace Sparky, he was by the path back to the town. He is probably in town right now she thought.

"I never even meant to go to this twisted place, I see now, the big grey demon told me to- made me,"

"What did you say, 'Big, grey'." Lilo asked. But he said nothing. Just sat and kept staring at the lighthouse. But he held out his hand. In it was a notebook, charred at the edges. Taking the book she opened it to the latest entry. She read the complaint. This man had complained to Sparky? Why?

Lilo turned and ran back to the hovercraft, calling Stitch. Sparky needed help. She knew he wasn't bad, he seemed happy enough whenever she visited before. Before she left for two weeks. Then something occurred to her. He had been alone in the lighthouse for two weeks without a visitor. Then this man comes along and complains. She remembered how the light had kept sporadically changing brightness. Then the next day she was with the new guy Trilby. Then this happened.

"Stitch we need to get to the town now!"

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you on the way, but I think Sparky may be bad again."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Trilby didn't sleep well that night. After Lilo had read the paper and found out about that lighthouse- they had all gone to bed. Lilo and Stitch, were too tired to go in the middle of the night but they said they would leave early the next morning. He was so confused. They made it sound like being an experiment came with some built in strength. He may not even have one. But who and what are these 'experiments'. All he knew for sure was he was one and Stitch was another. That computer that Jumba uses looks like it might have some information.

As the first rays of dawn crept through the windows he decided he could risk it for answers. Getting up from the sofa he walked to the door, the computer should be on the table in there he thought. Opening the door quietly he tiptoed in. Light on his feet he climbed onto the chair, then the table. Seeing the flat disc shaped computer just lying on the desk, he felt uneasy. His fur prickled, and he reached down, taking the machine in both hands he lifted it. Almost immediately he dropped it again. He had been jolted by the computer. A loud noise was omitted by the machine. The noise woke the house and the neighbourhood besides. Jumba and Pleakly stirred. They were startled by the sudden awakening. Jumba was the first to regain his faculties.

"AH… I knew it," He leapt from the bed without grace to speak of. He grabbed a plasma rifle, training it on Trilby's chest. A red dot appeared Trilby froze. His scrambled memory couldn't fit the pieces together. But his instincts screamed danger. Pleakly recovered from his disturbed sleep.

"Jumba what are you doing?" he rubbed his eye.

"Shh Pleakly I am dealing with this spy,"

"Spy! Who Trilby!"

"Yes is quite clever trying to pull wool over our eyes,"

"I… uh… I…" Trilby stuttered,

"I have put trigger into computer so if you pick it up sets off alarm, genius yes? You are not one of my genius experiments. But you are like mine. So I had the Galactic federation check on my old laboratory- and guess what they found. An unauthorized person had used my genius equipment. So who are you? What can you do? Who sent you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," He pleaded, "I can't remember anything before I came here."

"I wonder who believes you," He switched off the safety on the rifle.

"Hold on Jumba, there must be a mistake," Pleakly jumped in front of the rifle.

"Out of way Pleakly," He tried to push him."I caught him trying to steal computer he is clearly a spy."

"Oh I'm sure he had a reason," turning to Trilby." You did have a reason,"

"Oh… I was trying to find out about the experiments," He realized that was the wrong thing to say as Jumba jumped forward.

"See he admits to it!"

"Jumba wait!" Pleakly tried to pull him away, "We can just catch him," Jumba fired as Pleakly grabbed the rifle. The plasma splattered over the wall, the wall melted in a puff of smoke. The residue brightly illuminating the previously dark room. Blinded Jumba and Pleakly flailed getting tangled in the mess of unfinished machines and parts. Trilby recovered first. Seeing his chance he took it. Running, leaping over screwdrivers and plasma pods. But then he thought… Snatching a pair of surgical gloves and tape he attached them to his feet. Snatching the computer up from where he had dropped it. The computer tried to shock him but it was pointless against the rubber gloves. Jumba and Pleakly untangled themselves from the middle of Pleakly's wig collection. Aiming the rifle he fired. Trilby anticipated it rolling behind between several viles of green liquid and the hole in the wall settled and bent low in preparation. The liquid combusted quickly and violently. Trilby flew through the hole over and through several bushes impacting on a tree. Thankfully through Jumba's apparent paranoia the computer was made of heavy duty 'Gluchnakh steel'. Holding it out it bore the brunt of the impact. As he fell to the floor it occurred to him. How did he know that the viles were explosive? and how did he know that Jumba's computer was made of very rare, impact absorbing material? Who are the 'Gluchnakh'?

Opening the computer screen he activated the console. The basic functions appeared marked in some alien language. He found that the marks were familiar, almost… Then he could read it. Surprised by the apparent ease to which he remembered, formerly unknown languages. Flicking through the files he was about to pick 'experiment documentation and categorization'. When he noticed another option, 'Intergalactic messaging'. Opening the file he noticed several dates down the side. Opening the file for two days ago, brought up a single option:

Dear Grand councilwoman,

Today Lilo and Stitch found unmarked experiment pod. When they came to me I denied having ever seen him before, but that was lie. I have seen him before. Well not 'him' exactly. He is experiment that was never made. I had blueprints in my old laboratory I believe someone has broken in and made him. All evidence suggests he is one of my experiments I never made him. He was just a dreamy creation of an optimists mind. His molecular density would always be too low for what he is designed for. However it would seem someone filled in the gaps in my blueprints. His skin is reinforced with tiny specks of Gluchnakh steel. Please check my old laboratory. Also he claims to not remember anything. I am not so sure. I have not ruled out the fact he could be some sort of spy. I have sent you a copy of his DNA samples they contain information on the parameters of his abilities. I shall delete the original I predict he shall go after my computer, if he is a spy.

Lilo yawned. The alarm seemed louder today than usual. Then she remembered the newspaper. Jumping up she grabbed Stitch by the arm pulling him. He resisted merely rolling over.

"Sparky could be in danger, but you know we can wait, if you don't care." She knew it was cruel, but it was the only way. Stitch woke and virtually carried her to the car. On the way she heard shouting in Jumba and Pleakly's room. Business as usual she thought. Stitch revved the engine

"Here we go!" He shouted, and they broke the sound barrier in seconds.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sparky felt good, VERY good. There was something… So satisfying about shorting out small harmless bits of electrical equipment. Just the small stuff. Nothing anyone would notice. He snuck around during the night, the calm night air invigorated him. His fur bristled with relief. Fresh air, exercise mixed with a few sparks and the smell of smoke as wires melted and motors blew. As the night wore on his elation increased slowly the revelry of mayhem dawning like the sun. As locals were suddenly awakened from sleep, to the abrasive sound of fire alarms. He heard men and women cry in dismay as they found sparking phones, toasted toasters and many, many blown light bulbs. As he flew from house to house the cries increased, intensified. This fed Sparky's fires. The sound seemed to be built in; the sound he was built to hear. He enjoyed it. Suddenly he was flying from car to car, head lights, fog lights, reverse lights. No form of light could stop the surging, the singeing or the shocking. His evil ramped up more and more filling his mind and battery-like fur with an indomitable indefatigable desire. To cause absolute mayhem. This he did with an inexhaustible supply of electrical power. Nothing was missed. He entered houses busted every light, cooked ovens even people who tried to hit him. As he flew he grabbed a telephone wire, sending a spark down the wire one by one the telephone posts burst showering the town with hundreds of pieces of molten metal. The light show resembled a small meteor shower. Looking down Sparky saw a figure, red, and a big nose. He was looking confused, he carried a camera and was looking straight at Sparky. Their eyes met and he said:

"Hey Sparky buddy you doing all this?" He looked concerned, "What has happened?"

Flying down Sparky alighted in front of nosey. He bore a malicious grin. Sparks ran up his antenna ready to spark at any moment. But something held him back. His euphoria halted by some unseen force of good.

"I heard the commotion, I came down to check it out, no one has seen you since I published that article on the lighthouse." He took Sparky's hand," I guess the lighthouse was you too huh? Look buddy I guess you were pretty lonely cooped up in that lighthouse alone for so long. So hey, I don't blame ya' but you need to stop destroying everything."

Slowly all the maliciousness disappeared from his grin. Slowly it turned to realization. He looked back at the devastation. Turning back to Nosey he felt pained- and he showed it.

"I… I…" he started to say,

"How about I take you to my place, we can clear it up there, less people out to get you, you know?" Already a large group of humans were amassing looking for the culprit. All the anger and desire to destroy melted like the wire coils in the light bulbs he had destroyed.

"Can't," he seemed shocked, ironically, as if somebody had been in his body controlling him. But that was gone now. "If I go with you they will go after you too." with that he hugged Nosey. Then pushed him over. Taking off he flew toward the mountain.

"Wait!" he called, but he was already far away.

Close by in some bushes Gantu lay trying to be as small as possible. It wasn't easy but everyone was too distracted to notice. He watched as experiment 221 wreaked havoc on the town.

"Perfect," He whispered, in his hand he held a galactic communicator. He held it just outside the bush, he followed experiment 221's progress through the city. On the other end of the phone, there emitted impressed chuckles, 'Ooooooh's as cars sparked and exploded, and other sounds of mirth a child would make at a circus. Dr Jacque von Hamsterviel, recently released enemy of the Galactic federation.

"Zis is very impressive, yessss, you know you could learn something from this, Gantu"

"Like how to fly and shoot electricity from my hands,"

"Shut up, dat is not zi point!"

"My plan is almost ready, now all I need is those experiment from dat idiot scientist's computer."

"If you are right I should have it soon Dr Hamsterviel,"

"I am always right you pathetic excuse for a minion,"

"Not even you could muck it up,"

"Like candy from a ba…,"

"Shhh Gantu!" Just as they said that Nosey appeared and talked to Sparky. Slowly the expression on Sparky's face dissolved, his antenna stopped sparking and his ears drooped.

"Blitzsnack, the trogs can be reasoned with,"

"Indeed… Zis could be problem, _I_ have deliberated and decided that zis is not relevant, the plan goes on as… planned,"

"Yes sir,"

Following Sparky's trail was easier than they anticipated. Mobs of locals had formed to hunt him. Lilo and Stitch knew they wouldn't catch him. They followed the smoke, the further they got up the street the worse it became. cars stood smoking in the street. Rows of shop lights resembled hellish decorations with smoke pouring through jagged spiked edges. As the street ended they saw a figure they knew well.

Nosey was sitting at the side of the road. Why had Sparky done this? Was it the isolation? Or the being in one place. Nosey had, like every other experiment, had occasional urges to revert to the original programme. But that was just that voice at the back of your head that tells you to do something bad. Nosey had always considered Sparky as one of the strong ones. Why had Sparky submitted to his original programming.

"He was just unhappy I guess…"

Nosey felt bad for him. Being alone for a day tended to make him cranky- but two weeks. "Maybe he is one of the strong ones after all. Gonna' take a while to clean up, though,"

As he said this he heard a hovercraft lower to hover beside him. The windshield opened. Lilo and Stitch popped their heads out:

"Have you seen Sparky, Nosey?" Lilo asked,

"Yeah, he went up the mountain, but listen guys. It's not his fault. He couldn't help it. He was unhappy being alone in the lighthouse so long. He must have gotten angry and reverted to his original programming. He's pretty down at the moment. So… You know… Play nice, OK?"

"We're all here for him Nosey, We'll clear it up and he'll be back to the his sparky self in no time, right Stitch!?"

"Yeah, Yeah Sparky!" he shouted and they took off toward the mountain.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Trilby didn't know what to think. Honestly he was trying not to. As he trudged through the forest- computer under one arm. He was looking for a place to stay, somewhere sheltered but none came to mind. No doubt Jumba had alerted the other experiments and they were probably searching for him at this very moment. As the sun rose to its zenith, his mind began to wonder. Apparently, he was designed by an evil scientist, who had supposedly had been created by another evil scientist for reasons unknown. Then dropped, by accident or not, onto Earth as a dehydrated ball then collected by the second evil scientist's minion, before being retrieved by the first evil scientists family: who weren't really his family but still called them family. Honestly… He didn't understand much nor did he care to. He was alone now, not a creation, a person. He didn't need a power to be special, right? He wasn't sure about the last one but shelter sounded good at the moment. Somewhere secluded. Somewhere he wouldn't draw attention to himself. As he walked he began to hear voices, his instant thought was 'I'm mad' but then he saw the town. People searched angrily as smoke poured from all manner of appliance. Are they looking for me? He thought. Better not wait to find out but then he felt something. A twinge in his stomach. His scrambled memory managed to label it as' hunger'. He had felt it the night he arrived. But where could he get food? Well he knew where. He just didn't know how? He was small but conspicuous, he had no stealth or agility skills to speak of. He walked further along. He noticed a backdoor, that was ajar. It was undoubtedly the back of a shop or restaurant from the row of bins packed full with plastic wrapping, cardboard and all manner of food waste. Depositing the computer in a bush, he snuck, as quietly as he could to the door, his fur prickled in anticipation, ready to alert him to danger at any moment. 'Didn't know it did that' he thought. Then focussed. If people were searching for him, he had to leave a path of escape. As he reached the door he noticed a thin layer of frost on the bins. How did that happen he thought. I won't stay long he thought. He entered a storage room of some- sort. Cardboard boxes, precariously stacked, lined the walls plastered with stickers telling the exact weight and amount. He grabbed a box checking inside, he found it full of cones. He had broken into an ice cream shop. Picking up a cone he experimentally took a bite. Dry, tasteless. He tried to replace the box but since he had opened the box it was unstable. The weight caused the stack to sway. He turned to leave, when the stack toppled crashed to the floor. The stack collided with the boxes on the other wall sending them toppling to the ground. The boxes split sending cones and many coloured containers of ice cream mix all over the floor. The sound was unbearable. Trilby cringed, turning to leave.

In the doorway stood a small blue creature, looking startled. It resembled an icicle, in its hand he clutched a piece of paper. He looked from Trilby to the paper, then from the paper to Trilby. Then he threw the paper to ground in front of him. On it was a picture of him, underneath there read,' spy! Capture on sight.' Be careful he is powerful and very dangerous. Trilby didn't understand that last line, but he didn't have time to think about it. The icicle creature was grinning maliciously at him. He inhaled. Tribly's instincts ran wild. He leapt over the toppled boxes, rolled on impact toward the shop door. The icy creature blew a wave of frost from his mouth. The water particles in the air froze dropping like hail. The debris formed an ice sheet. Trilby collided with the door as a cold blast pushed him through. He looked around, nothing but ice cream, he jumped onto the counter, taking cover behind the till as another icy blast blew from the door. He needed something hot. His fur was excelling at preventing the cold. The front room of the shop was filled with tables and chairs, the counter held countless ice cream scoops. On a table behind the counter, there stood an array of glasses, jugs beakers, a coffee machine and a microwave at the very edge. The icy thing had since come through the door still smiling with uncontrolled mirth. Trilby leapt off the counter tipping a table for cover an sharp icicle had lodged in the table. Rolling to another table he tipped it as well, another icicle lodged itself. He continued to roll, table to table, tipping them as a shield. The icy thing had perched itself atop the counter constantly conjuring icicles hurling mayhem at his shop. Trilby reached the closest table to the microwave. Grabbing a chair he threw it into the ice thing. He froze it midair. Throwing another one and another he distracted him long enough to jump up to the microwave. He hit the highest setting it hummed and spluttered, something had short circuited it. Then it sparked. The sparks! Heat! He started hitting all the buttons. While throwing glasses at the icy thing. It the microwave sparked more and more gaining heat. The ice thing froze all the projectiles, he started inhaling, preparing for another icy blast. Before he did though, a sparking, red microwave came flying at him. He released the breath cooling the microwave. But not enough! it cut through the icy breath like a stone in water. The microwave hit him sending him flying off the counter. Taking the chance Trilby grabbed the coffee machine plugging it in he hit the large latte button on the coffee he inserted a jug. It started filling. He then leapt to the counter the counter and sat arms raised. The icy thing recovered, he leapt to the counter about to release another breath of cold air. He saw the red experiment sitting arms raised. The universal sign for surrender. He stopped the breath.

"I give up, just don't freeze me," he whimpered trying to look scared.

The icy thing looked him in the eye, he wrapped his arms around him. Trilby was confused. He hadn't expected a hug. But then ice formed around his chest. Not packed ice, he seemed to be leaving space within the cube for him. In a minute Trilby was trapped in a large ice cube with only his head not encased. He pushed against the sides of the cube in vain.

"Sorry, have to capture you," The icy thing seemed pretty friendly now he wasn't a threat. "My name is Slushy. You've made a big mess in my shop." There was a big mess tables overturned, glass shattered on the floor icicles lodged in walls and tables.

"Yeah, sorry… I was hungry… I'm Trilby, a new guy."

"It says you're a spy,"

"I am not though…"

"Well we'll find out when the others come to pick you up, I guess,"

"I don't think I'll be here when they arrive,"

"Oh, why?"

"It's a question of weight," and at that moment, the jug that had been filling with premium latte, gaining more and more weight. cascaded steaming coffee all over the pair. Slushy started melting. As did the ice cube. Weakened it broke easily. Slushy saw himself melting, traumatised he fainted conserving his cold body. Quickly Trilby picked up the diminishing Slushy. Leaping off the counter he sprinted to the ice cream freezer. throwing it open. He left Slushy on one of the shelves. On the way out he turned the thermostat from -4 degrees to -20 degrees. Slushy stopped melting, but he was still unconscious. On his way out he picked up the 5 bags of crisps shown on display, they were cold. But he was hungry…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

" Be careful he is powerful and very dangerous, what does he mean?" He held out the wanted poster. I got lucky that's all. Though not even he could deny, when he got excited he knew things he didn't know before. "Maybe I'm only my real self when I'm fighting." Trilby wasn't sure. He still had a problem. Where to lay low? He had no doubt that when they find Slushy they can piece together what happened. He felt bad for Slushy. He was friendly when he wasn't fighting. Maybe… They would be friends one day. But what was very odd was that throughout the fight, Trilby had grown resistant to his cold. Not adrenaline, 'don't feel it' kind but resistant as if the cold did not affect him anymore. He found something else had changed too. The smooth ovals, that were once grey now bore a blue tinge. Odd he thought. Today he needed to find a safe spot he decided. Suddenly, a purple goo flew out of the trees. Taken by surprise it impacted him head on. He flew back hitting a tree, the purple goo splattered over him and the tree. A half eaten packet of crisps, followed by the wanted note, followed by Jumba's computer landed on the floor.

"Gotcha'," said a voice. Out of the bushes came a huge grey amphibian.

"Woah, hey, what's your problem," Trilby tried to stand but the goo trapped him.

"Well done 629." He holstered the weapon bending down to pick up the computer. "Though technically, you are not made by Jumba, so you would be Dr Hamsterviel's experiment 001,"

"Hamsterviel!" The name triggered something. Something painful. He remembered intense physical and mental pain.

"You did end up being useful to us after all."

"Who are yo… Gantu," he said, the name came back, with pictures. Being forced round courses.

"I thought that would trigger memory recall. We spent a lot of time and effort on you 629. To think we came out with a useless experiment. But you came through in the end."

"Useless? I have no power?" All his fears confirmed in the one utterance.

"Yes, no strength you are useless to us. So we wiped your brain, fit you with a camera a sent you rolling at the trog and the little earth girl. We knew you'd look at Jumba's computer, we knew Jumba would investigate and set up that system, we knew they would try to catch you, we knew you would come here. We know- because we created you."

"What did I do? What are you going to do with that computer? Oh we have a plan to catch every experiment on this blasted island. All we needed was this computer." He held up the computer.

" How long have you watched me?" his ears drooped in depression.

"Oh, all the time. Except for the last hour, we had some… Bird watching to do, ha ha," He chuckled, he missed my fight with Slushy Trilby thought.

"Gantu! Stop gloating and bring me zat computer I vant every experiment by tomorrow you know!" Shouted a disembodied voice. Taking his communicator Gantu asked:

"What do I do about 629?"

"Leave him he's not even worth the plasma, you know he may be the only one more useless than you."

"Who are you what do you know about me?!" he shouted.

"You… Are a failure. I tried to make the ultimate experiment with more power than all the other experiments combined instead I got you. You have done your job now, I have no more use for you. Take zi camera Gantu I am tired of watching zis screen."

"Yes sir," Walking up to Trilby. He drew back his hand slapping the tree on the back. The momentum sent the tree into his head. He felt his eye water as something slid out. It looked like a contact lense.

"I found zat in Jumba's laboratory. Very useful."

Gantu reached down finding his hands were not delicate enough. He called,

"625! Come here," But then Gantu noticed the sheet of paper. He picked it up and read it.

"Hey Hamsterviel have a look at this!" HE held it up to the screen of the communictor. There was silence as he read the paper. Then sudden laughter.

"Dangerous! Ha zat is a good one haha,"

Then out of a bush popped a bronze experiment,

"Can't a guy get any sleep around here, Yeah, yeah… What do you want?"

"Pick up this camera, and be careful it's delicate."

"Cameras too difficult for you now eh Gantu? We've been here for hours, can we go back to the ship now? I haven't slept in like five hours and I'm out of sandwiches!"

"No! No sleep time for lazy experiment, you need to get up zat mountain as fast as you can. I can't vait for my plan to work!"

Gantu started walking in the direction of the mountain dominating the horizon.

"Hey Gantu, can't we take this sucker with us?"

"No, 629 stays here,"

"But finally I had a guy I could relate to. Hasn't got the same interests in sandwiches, But I can overlook that."

"We do need a cleaner. Ever since 625 tried out that tuna and cheese melt the ship has melt like the inside of a fish for days."

"Oh all right you can take him with you." Gantu poured a green liquid onto the goo, it dissolved in seconds releasing Trilby. As soon as Trilby was free he was grabbed roughly and dumped into a glass capsule.

"Hey! Easy big guy, I don't want your failure to rub off on me," clearly he had remembered Gantu's losing streek.

"Oh yeah… We are gonna get along just fine,"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Sparky had landed atop a plateau. Exhausted he had laid down panting. A day of mayhem and destruction really takes the energy out of you. But how could he do that to his family!? Surely he couldn't go back now. Disgraced and outcast. Pretty good for a day work. Now he had expended all the electrical energy stored in his body. He needed to recharge. He was built with hyper efficient solar energy cells. Essentially a day in the sun would recharge him. He also had sapping capabilities. He had been lying there for about an hour. Thinking of all the trouble he had caused, what if the towns people decided to blame his cousins as well. He felt it would be better if he stayed away. Picking himself up, he noticed he had landed on a plateau, rocky, with sparse patches of grass a small house was perched on the side, looking down into the valley. He slowly felt his fur bristle in the sun soaking up the solar energy. Soon he had enough clean energy to stand and walk. He only possessed about 8% of his total energy storage. His body would instinctively, 'switch off' if he fell below 4%. Suddenly he heard a loud clang. Metal plates, bricks and dust started rolling down the mountainside. A big mountainside building perched precariously on the side of the mountain, just above him. A large piece landed here him, he recognized the scratched red paint and mangled controls. Lilo and Stitch's hovercraft! He thought. Looking up the mountain he saw smoke pour from the building. They could be in danger he thought. He brushed himself off, he ran to the house. He needed to get up there and to do that he needed energy. Finding the door was locked he used a little energy to allow himself to pass through the conductive metal lock. On the other side, the house was empty. It was small two rooms. A light swayed in the dark. No windows provided light, but Sparky's built in night vision kicked in. He searched the house, opening cupboards and doors. In one of the larger wall cupboards stood a small engine of some- sort. A generator he thought. Not very powerful, but he needed every scrap of energy. Sparking the engine it whirred and spluttered. Old, fragile he thought. Opening the workings he snapped a wire. Connecting it to his antenna, he felt the electricity course through him. He lay down allowing the electrical energy to store in the his fur and being. Then he waited… Half an hour had passed, when a large object fell through the roof of the house. The object shattered on impact, leaving behind a small red figure. Sparky didn't recognize him. Standing he walked close making sure the wires didn't detach. The figure seemed unconscious. Sparky saw the figure's face. He had the makeup of an experiment. But one he had never seen before.

"Cousin?" he asked experimentally,

He stirred lifting his head, he saw Sparky above him,

"Um… Hello, the names Trilby,"

"Trilby, huh my name is Sparky. Are you a cousin?" But at that moment a sound emanated round the house, a clashy sound like broken cymbals, falling on the floor. They both covered their ears. Tortured by the sound they closed their eyes. It resonated inside them, calling to their very being. A primal, indomitable purpose. The former utter dominating power of the experiments. The sound disappeared in the real world. But inside the head of the experiments it rang true. The sound of there being manifested in sound. Slowly they opened their eyes. But they were different than before. They were base, emotionless eyes. They stared at each other trying to fathom the power of the noise. Trilby stood,

"You are an experiment, yes?" He pointed at Sparky, "They called me useless. I will show them. My strength stems from intelligence. I shall prove I don't need a power to be the strongest. I shall start with you,"

Sparky looked back the malicious grin reappearing, the jubilance returning. Reaching up he grabbed the wires throwing them to the ground. His antenna sparked again the electrical flow pulsing through him. He looked him in the eye saying:

" You can try!" Loosing a bolt of lightning. Trilby had already grabbed a sheet of metal throwing it to the side. The lightning changed path hitting the metal. Sparky growled- there was too much metal around to attract the lightning. Trilby growled likewise. Sparky jumped up- flying to the ceiling he punched into the wall. Ripping out copper wire. Trilby looked around. Seeing the tap he leapt toward it loosening the water pipes that led into it- grabbing a bin emptying it and leaving under the leaking pipe. Sparky up in the roof, lassoed the wire, it sparked accepting the flow of electricity from Sparky. Throwing it down, Trilby dodged. Annoyed Sparky started whipping the ground from his vantage in the rafters. Trilby predicted each stroke diving between the furniture in the run down house. Each stroke crackled with electrical power, braking each piece he decided to hide behind. Grabbing a piece of rope he Rolling back to the bin- bucket he grabbed it lobbing it at Sparky. Sparky dropped his lasso, it landed on the floor below him. He growled as water drenched him. He shorted out falling to the ground. Trilby laughed walking up to Sparky who was paralyzed temporarily on the floor. He needed electricity to move, and the water short circuited his electrical flow. He was stuck on the floor till he dried off. He growled, annoyance showing on his face. Trilby was happy with himself. He was strong enough without any special power. He started to walk toward Sparky's immobile body. He was the smartest experiment around. No one could stop him. But then he stepped on a metal plate. The plate, that had a mass of electrified wire on it. Sparky stopped faking and smiled. The shock sent Trilby flying. As he impacted on the weakened wall it collapsed. Sparky stood shaking the water out of his arm. He had let his arm get wet. If his arm was wet he could bypass it so not to short circuit his body. He had tricked Trilby, flying up to the confused Trilby he summoned his other arms preparing for his ultimate Jigawatt jolt. Trilby was too confused after the shock to react fast enough. The jolt sparked through his system. But then an unexpected thing happened. Instead of being blown back by the force of the blast he stood still. He absorbed every bolt and spark. It filled him with energy. Slowly the ovals on his arms turned yellow like Sparky's fur. the yellow grew brighter and brighter glowing like the sun. Sparky stood in shock as he absorbed the shock. He now had roughly 5% energy left. Barely enough to fly away. Trilby felt the immense shock condense in his system filling him with unknown power. Suddenly the ovals. Sparked, he felt his fur immediately adapt to the electrical power. The adaptation turned his fur yellow. Out of the oval sprouted a long pair of antenna. Then the light subsided. Sparky stared at the apparent copy of himself. Like a mirror. The surprise was mirrored in their eyes. They looked each other in the eye sharing the confusion. Trilby looked at himself, he felt the antenna, that had sprouted. He felt invigorated, this was his power.

"To absorb and adapt to become a copy of another experiment!" He exclaimed out loud.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The mountain was huge, Sparky could be anywhere. Lilo and Stitch were looking for a sign of him. In actual fact Stitch had activated his infra red sensor and had his head outside the hovercraft looking over the mountain. While Lilo was thinking over what Nosey had said,

"Nosey said it wasn't his fault. That he was lonely and unhappy. Which means it's my fault for not seeing him. Maybe it wouldn't have happened if I was there with him. But I was too busy with Trilby. It's all my fault,"

"Ih," was all he said, need to work on his bedside manner she thought. Stitch was watching with infra red vision to find Sparky but there were so many animals showing up he couldn't trace him. However as he watched the ground he noticed a large figure. Looked like a huge fish. He was almost at the very peak of the mountain. He was carrying two small things, one in his arms and one on his back.

"Lilo Gantu look." He drove quickly up to the same level as the peak. Gantu was entering a building that looked like it was chair lift station- but had long since shut down.

"What is Gantu doing? I bet it is something evil! drive to that station Stitch."

"Ih," as he approached the station they heard they engaging sound of plasma cannons.

"Hold on!" Stitch shouted, he manoeuvred as innumerable balls of plasma. Fell past the craft. Stitch jerked the wheel, sending it into a spiral. A plasma blast singed an engine, sending it crashing down.

"Hold on!" Stitch grabbed Lilo opening the craft's lid. Leaping from the craft they fell toward the ground. The hovercraft was now battered, pieces fell from its body. Then it collided with a cannon. A loud explosion proceeded the crash. The cannon and the hovercraft- now mostly in pieces- fell down the mountain.

"I hope that doesn't hit anyone, come on Stitch lets go inside."

Throwing open the door Stitch exclaimed:

"Meeta hica!" (Get ready!)

There, standing in front of a large screen stood Gantu complete with blaster. Beside him stood the diminutive Rueben, complete with sandwich. Propped up against the far wall was Trilby looking indifferently at them. Connected to the wall was Jumba's computer. Behind them on the screen, their enemy Dr Hamsterviel stood, tapping at an invisible keyboard.

"Ahhhhh you are too late! Now zat I have zi Experiment material codes. Press zi button Gantu,"

"Right away sir. Now where did I put the remote?"

Stitch had already jumped toward them.

"Nice try, you little blue fur ball." A large plasma shot impacted by Stitch's feet the other plasma cannon had turned to fire at Stitch. He leapt, dived, dodged but the cannon kept firing.

"Ah hear it is," Gantu held up a remote with a single button.

"No!" Lilo shouted throwing a rock. It hit Gantu in the head, he dropped the remote. "Stitch!" Stitch dived for the remote.

"Sorry cus," Rueben grabbed the remote, the cannon fired continuously. each hit melting through the floor or wall it hit. The former chairlift station was small and had an open air plan- the roof was controlled by a lever at the computer. The roof was open at the moment allowing the cannon to shoot freely into the station.

"Lilo get the lever!" Stitch started weaving through more blasts. The floor had become pockmarked sunken holes meant they all had to watch their footing. It seemed the cannon was locked onto Stitch. Lilo leaped over the large depressions, as Stitch cart wheeled through the turmoil. The wall Trilby was leaning up against began to topple, the holes it had sustained from the cannon beginning to take effect.

"Help?" He shouted, and the wall fell dropping him down the mountain unto a small house below. Lilo had reached the lever as Gantu did.

"Oh no you don't," He stood in front of the lever.

"625 press zi button!"

"You could say please once in a while," and he pressed the button. A cacophonic noise reverberated from the station. The noise emanated from a massive disc- like speaker above the station roof. The experiments, Rueben and Stitch dropped to the floor writhing. Gantu became slightly delirious from the force of the sound, his size making him dizzy. Lilo was deafened, but not stunned she lunged for the lever pulling it down as Stitch fell. The roof severed the connection between the cannon and the being. Terminating itself.

Yes my plan has finally come to fruition. The words appeared on the screen. Soon all the experiments will be mine. The experiments cannot live in peace. The destruction only gets pent up. It grows inside them. Like a voice in the back of their head. The next time they are angry that voice takes over forcing them to do all the evil things they couldn't do before. We used experiment 221 as a test. We used the useless experiment 629 to get the genetic codes to produce this sonic wave. The sonic wave shall spread making every experiment angry, the voice shall take over them. They will be angry and destroy and when they are too exhausted to move. We shall collect them. But I'm sure you'll have enough trouble with 626 to be any more trouble to us.

Lilo looked at Stitch writhing on the floor. Gantu had picked up Rueben putting him in another capsule. He ran outside to a ship that was waiting. The screen turned off, the ship flew away and Lilo felt a strong helplessness settle over her. They would catch all the experiments. She hadn't even managed to save Sparky. They had played right into their hands. They had made Sparky angry which set him off. That wouldn't have happened if she had just done her job. She sat down next to Stitch. She lay against him, allowing his fur to embrace her. Without a ship it would take a day to walk back, by then they would have all the experiments. As her hearing returned she noticed that the station was filled with metal, motors, screws, bolts, a computer to provide schematics and advanced alien metal in the dish. She guessed that it was possible to build a hovercraft- if she had the remains of her old one, and a source of power.

She felt tingly, Through the hole in the wall rose a sparking experiment.

"Sparky!" she called but no. The dimensions were wrong. His head was too big and… the ovals. In his hands he carried another sparking experiment. They landed and Sparky- Trilby laid a reformed original Sparky.

"Oh hey, Sparky is out of energy he needs to recharge. I… uh… borrowed some of his powers. He grinned a wide grin. I found my power!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Having two Sparky's was confusing. Trilby was sat explaining what had happened down the mountain. Stitch was unconscious from being so close to the torturous sound. Sparky was asleep recharging in the sun, courtesy of the hyper efficient solar cells. Of course Trilby was recharging too. The indoctrination of Sparky's lightning power seemed to have changed his anatomy. His once plain, not particularly special body makeup had changed to a complete copy of Sparky, down to the last cell, this included, the solar cells. Trilby reckoned that, as long as he had a small fraction of Sparky's power, he could recharge. Use too much energy at once and he would lose the power of electricity, and return to his normal self. All theory. He allowed the lightning to flow through his body. Up his antenna. Expelling it out into the metal roof. It came so naturally so easily. The resistance of air being no obstacle. It felt good, empowering.

Trilby was now a copy of Sparky. They almost were identical were it not for the ovals that were the same yellow as the fur around it but still smooth. Lilo seemed a little more renewed now that she had two Sparky's she now had almost infinite power. Now she needed the remains of her last hovercraft and they could fly back to Kauai. She noticed that, considering how long it took Sparky to get exhausted, they had about a day to get back to Kauai. Because Gantu couldn't take on rampaging experiments. A day to repair a hovercraft. They couldn't get started until Sparky and Stitch woke up. Until then Trilby played around with his ill gotten electricity, while Lilo tapped at Jumba's computer looking for the schematic on hovercraft model 4 style T-144.

"Hey can you read this?" she called, Trilby who at the time was allowing another bolt to snap out of his head.

"Oh… uh… yeah, sure I can, 'insert the inert flux capacitor into the modified engine compartment. Seal with solder.'"

"How will we get Solder?"

"Well me and Sparky can concentrate the flow of electricity in a high concentration melting the metal, and isn't he fireproof?" he pointed to Stitch lying face up on the floor.

"Yes he is… Trilby can you copy any experiments powers?"

"I don't know, maybe." They heard a groan. Stitch was waking up.

"That noise, it makes me angry. But it knocked Stitch out. I think we had better make sure he can't use it again or he might knock all of us out."

"So what, ear plugs?" Lilo was bent over Stitch.

"No… I think there might be a way to wipe its effects away permanently. But we need Jumba to do it,"

"I hope they are ok,"

"Well he almost killed me before so… You know."

"He tried to kill you?!"

"Oh so you missed that bit,"

"We left early to get to the lighthouse,"

"Well he designed me so I have him to thank I guess but he tried to melt me, then told the other experiments to find me, I almost melted that ice experiment, Slushy was it? Before getting caught by the big grey alien and taken here. Where I fall down a mountain, hear the sound fight Sparky and get his powers. So I have had a pretty long day."

"Me too,"

Stitch woke suddenly,

"Lilo!" He shouted," What happened,"

"The noise knocked you out," She replied,

"Oh… sorry,"

"It's ok, but now all your cousins are going to get angry and bad again. So we need to get back to Kauai as quickly as possible."

Stitch looked past Lilo, "Sparky?" He asked,

"So much noise," Sparky had apparently woken up when Stitch shouted.

"AHHH, two Sparky's!"

"No Stitch, that's Trilby, that's Sparky," pointing to them respectively. "It's good your awake Sparky I need you and Trilby to fly down and pick up my hovercraft."

"Sure, Sparky lets go." They took off as bolts of lightning. Trilby a little less gracefully than Sparky.

"OK Stitch I need you to rip up the metal plates off the walls, make sure they don't have big holes in them, then I need you to take down the cannon outside. OK?"

"I'm on it Lilo," He jumped up, hugged her for good measure and left through the door.

Lilo turned to the computer. Who exactly was Trilby? Last time she saw him was in her house. Then he was in a capsule with Gantu. She hit an option. A list of alien letters appeared, she scrolled down the list of different alien letters. A row of letters marked 'English translation' appeared. She pressed it . Instantly the alien language changed to English. She heard the plasma cannon start firing and almost as quickly stop.

"Stitch does work quick,"

She read the options. They were all very long words but Lilo found one she understood 'Experimental Genetic decoding and categorizing' a large window opened displaying a list of experiments, pictures, with long lines of letters and numbers next to each one. She started to be grateful about the genetic science lessons Jumba had given her. She pressed 'new entry' a message appeared on the screen 'awaiting input'. Lilo assumed Trilby had carried the computer because a red hair was stuck to the hinge. Taking the hair she inserted it into a drive which closed. The computer whirred. Analysing the cell makeup and general DNA. Once it was finished a message appeared 'Complete', and then,' removing anomalies, then another,' Complete'. Just then Stitch crashed through the roof cannon in hand. He had managed to disable it intact.

"Good job Stitch, now dismantle it we need the metal plates. His ears drooped. Clearly he had wanted to use the cannon on the hovercraft.

"Actually, if you can fit it on then fine you can have a cannon." Throw the dog a bone she thought. Besides there was actually plenty of metal around. They just had to stop the cannon shooting them.

"What is Lilo doing, he asked."

"I want to find out who Trilby really is. So I'm looking up his genetic code." As if on queue the computer beeped showing a message Lilo had looked for- 628 matches found.

"Look at this," She said," Trilby has DNA from every experiment so far, including you Stitch. It's like storing a file in his brain. He needs an experiment to hit him for him to gain the power of the experiment. Make sense."

"Trilby could be another me?"

"You know Stitch I think we could use a second you."

"No me is me!"

"I just want to try it out… and the hovercraft would be built faster. Then he can change back to Sparky,"

"Hmmm… fine,"

Sparky and Trilby flying back to the plateau, the ground was scorched, the house was a smouldered ruin on the hillside. A the debris sparked occasionally.

"I could get used to this you know," Trilby said.

"flying, or the electricity?"

"Both I guess, when you have to walk everywhere it feels pretty good to fly."

"I could always fly so I don't really know." When they reached the plateau they managed to dig out an extremely mangled shell of a hovercraft, the red paint was scraped off in most places. But they only needed the internal parts. Wires, panels, flux capacitors and so on.

They both looked around their battleground.

"you're pretty good in a fight. I mean when you tricked me- that was impressive."

"Thanks you are a good fighter too."

"So… uh… no hard feelings,"

"Sure, normally we experiments would fight each other anyway. So I guess that makes you family,"

"Wouldn't that make us twins," Sparky thought about this one. He had been alone for a long time. Cousins were good and all… but a brother. Someone to have his back- of course! Another lightning user means someone else could match the lighthouse… He stopped his trail of thought. But he liked the idea.

"Ok… little brother…"

"That's pushing it." They threw off the loose bits of metal and grabbed the ends of the hovercraft.

"Ready," And they took off, it was heavier than they had expected, they made slow progress up the mountainside.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The midday sun beat down onto the abandoned chairlift station. The walls were pockmarked with holes, melted and decaying. The weak walls creaked under the weight of the roof. Inside, a girl and three mutations, stood over the corpse of a hovercraft.

"This is a delicate operation. We need to repair this hovercraft, so we can get back to Kauai and save your cousins. Sparky, I need you to power it. But first we need to rebuild it. We have lots of metal to build the outside. Stitch, you and Sparky fix the wiring and the electronics. Trilby you have to put it together. But… Trilby I want you to use Stitches power." Lilo looked between the two.

"How do I do that?" Asked Trilby,

"Nagaa tobaca," Stitch huffed, and punched Trilby as hard as he could.

The force of the hit shook the building, causing several beams to fall from the building's roof. Weakened even more the roof tilted on its support frame, on the point of collapse. Trilby on the other hand, was barely affected by the punch. Instead he felt his body adapt to the punch, he felt fur bristle, changing. The electricity drained from him like water, but instantly replaced by a different power. He felt the force ricochet through his body and his mind. His will bent to the inassailable call of his genetic coding. His attachment to Sparky's power, dissipating. The ovals began changing colour, yellow morphed to a dark blue- same colour as Stitch's fur. The ovals, now full, began to spread. The blue in the ovals spreading out to the fur. Within seconds, his body had switched the fur from its former yellow to a dark blue, with a lighter patch on his chest. The antenna shrivelled back into his head. His ears stretched becoming longer and wider. What now stood before them was a convincing copy of Stitch.

Trilby inspected his knew body. The others looked on in amazement as the transformation happened. Over the course of ten seconds, Trilby changed from Sparky to Stitch. Stitch looked at him with indignation. He was the original and if he tried anything to replace him…

Sparky was impressed with the transformation. To him, it was like someone doing a very good impression of someone, funny. He laughed, his brother was funny.

Lilo, who had seen many amazing things, liked the colour show. But they had different, more important matters.

"Ok get to work guys, Trilby grab that pile of metal bring it here, then remove all the screws and bolts." Trilby bent to pick up the pile of metal, expecting resistance. There was none, Stitch's inhuman strength allowing him to pick up the metal with ease. He felt the strength in his arms and body. The power, it retained. Yet he decided, flying is more fun.

Sparky and Stitch, cousins cooperated to fix the wiring. Stitch pointed out the problems, Sparky melted the wire, allowing fireproof Stitch to move the wires and metal to the right places.

Lilo turned to Jumba's computer reading the list of complicated wiring. A thought occurred to her. Nani, Jumba and Pleakly. She closed the schematic and opened the communications tab. A list of names- including her house phone- appeared. Tapping the phone option. A dial tone started ringing.

After the third tone, a voice came out over the speakers.

"Hello?" Pleakly's voice.

"Pleakly!"

"Oh… Lilo where are you? You have been gone since morning."

"Pleakly… Has anything strange happened?"

"Well there was that loud noise, and then suddenly all the experiments went wild. Me, Jumba and Nani have spent hours trying to keep the people safe. This is going to take some explaining, but we have managed to heard them to the broken lighthouse." Sparky looked down." You had better get back quickly Lilo, these people are getting restless!"

"We should be there in about half an hour,"

"Really! That's great!" There was a commotion over the computer, and then…

"Little girl is you!?"

"Yes Jumba I'm here."

"Listen here, there is big ship above town, I am guessing Hamsterviel has plan to catch rampaging experiments once they get exhausted. You need to get on ship and shut it down."

"Once we have repaired the hovercraft we can get onto it."

"Listen is 629 there?"

"You mean Trilby… Yes,"

"I must warn little girl, I did not make him but I did design him, he was supposed to be evil genius masterpiece. I designed him to have the powers of every experiment. I did not make him because his molecular density would have to be huge to sustain movement. It would seem that, Dr Hamsterviel filled in the gaps. But 629 can only use the power of one experiment at a time and the experiment has to transfer the power. His body should adapt to the experiments strengths and weaknesses, but he can only change once an hour, so his molecules don't implode under the stress."

"You hearing all this Trilby," Lilo asked,

"Yes, but Jumba I am not a spy."

Jumba's tone lowered almost threatening, "I am still not so sure 629, I am not as trusting as the little girl. I did not make you so you are not part of the experiment family. None of this would have happened if you hadn't taken my computer and given it to Hamsterviel. All of this is your fault."

"Jumba you don't know Trilby, he might have just made a mistake!"

"Little girl! Look at evidence, experiment made by Hamsterviel shows up, steals my computer to help Hamsterviel! He is big problem. Most of my experiments will not trust you now either, especially since I sent those messages out. Dr Hamsterviel used my lab to create you and I have a copy of 629's blueprints here. You are a devious experiment, who uses the surrounding to your advantage, so there is no way I can know if you are truthful. There is no place for Hamsterviel's evil creation."

He coughed allowing the information to settle. Trilby's ears drooped, testament to his forlorn hope that he would ever be accepted into the family. These people didn't trust him and he knew that, he was a burden. Sparky put a hand on his shoulder, the consoling effect of brothers. Even Lilo struggled to find some redeeming factor but truthfully she didn't trust him either. She met him a day ago and he was powerless. Now he could be a threat especially since he was in Stitch's form, and he had already helped Hamsterviel already. By accident or on purpose? Stitch on the other hand was blunt and abrasive. He growled as if ready to pounce on him if he tried anything,

"Maka Eiqua saka!"( get out of my body)

"Stitch stop it,"

Jumba's voice began again," Is experiment 221 there?"

"Yes he is,"

"I would like to point out that the town is blaming you for all the problems they have had, today. Including some of your cousins. I don't think it's safe for you any more here, stay out of Kauai for a while. May take while to clean up mess," Changing tone and subject he continued "The galactic federation contacted me with all this information, Me and Pleakly have managed to reason with a few experiments, my experiment locator shows that all the experiments are either here with us or rampaging. All except Slushy, Yin and Yang. Evil genius is thinking you could use help when attacking this ship."

"little girl the federation they say they will be here in a day, that is too long."

"We should get back to work then guys." Lilo shut off the call.

Time passed and they made steady progress repairing the craft. The mood was dysmal, Sparky was distracted, thinking about where he should go from here, he couldn't go back, his distraction meant he kept overdoing some wires, melting through the wire, Stitch would growl when he did and push the wires back together. Trilby sat in silence screwing and hammering. He always knew he couldn't be part of there family, he wasn't built by Jumba, while the others were. Despite this, Stitch managed to fix the huge cannon to the crafts underside. This meant the hovercraft was going to be much larger and less manoeuvrable. But since they were using copious amounts of metal for the crafts exterior, they were clearly going for a 'tanky' approach anyway.

"Sparky, could you throw me that drive plate?" Trilby tried in vain to force a smile at his new brother, but managed only a twitch. Sparky felt bad for himself, but worse for Trilby, he had a family who still loved him. Trilby didn't have anyone. But they were brothers now. What they had once spoken as a joke began to manifest into reality now that they had problems. They were brothers- and his little brother was unhappy. He walked over to Trilby handing him the drive plate,

"Little bro, looks like we are both in a pretty bad spot huh?"

"You know, it's probably best if you didn't even talk to me- you can still make it up to the people you know?"

"I don't care about that brother, you are my family now, family means no one gets left behind or forgotten, so I'll always be there for you," Sparky spoke these words with reassurance and confidence while in fact the words burned him,' he should really listen to his own words'.

"Thank you Sparky, I'll be there for you too,"

Sparky smiled then. He had a new sense of responsibility. He now had a deeper desire to protect. Being the older brother in this relationship- he being experiment 221 and Trilby being 629- he had a motivation, a reputation to uphold. Despite this he liked Trilby, there was something about the carefree- when not depressed as he was now- nature that made him feel so safe. Like the world was a practical joke to laugh at. Sparky looked back in hindsight, before when he was in the lighthouse. He had nothing to protect- no purpose to speak of. But now Trilby was here, now that he had his back. He had a much stronger sense of duty. Silently, he vowed that if ever Trilby be in danger. He would fly in and save him no matter the cost. If only to make sure that the grin stay, and though this vow was silent, the message seemed to transmit through some unspoken bond. Trilby looked up to Sparky, he trusted his big brother, he was strong ,he knew it firsthand. They were both essentially outcast. Sparky's destruction of the lighthouse and town, and Trilby's origins meant they both weren't trusted by anyone. Even Lilo and Stitch looked at them differently, as if they would try and destroy them the first chance they got. They were alone together, and in Trilby's eyes was the same devotion to their illegitimate brotherhood. These brothers were close. They were strong and devoted to the other. They were outcast, and part of something bigger.

The hovercraft grew bigger and bigger, plates, wires panels all connected in a sprawling mass of confusion. The flux capacitor the cannon, all inserted into a metal shell. Sparky flew down the mountain collecting the generator and any more scraps of metal. The chairlift station still had some spare wires and motors which they integrated. Within an hour they had built the hovercraft shell into a larger more impressive structure. A powerful ship to rival Hamsterviel's.

"I think it's better now than it was before you know." Lilo admired the ship they had built with scrap. They had to move the ship to more even ground since the station was filled with holes. Fortunately, two Stitch's meant it was easy.

"Ok before we leave guys I want Trilby to become Sparky again."

"Fine, but I think Sparky is plenty enough to power the ship."

"Yeah, but I don't want Sparky to use all his power yet." After the quick shock and the ten seconds it took for Trilby to re adapt to Sparky's powerful energy. They boarded the ship, Stitch taking the driving seat. They had scavenged glass from the windows of the station. Luckily the stations old owners were paranoid and used plexi- glass to build the windows. This meant it wouldn't shatter a high speeds but wouldn't stop a plasma shot if it collided with the ship. The ship rose clunking, but smooth.


	16. Chapter 16

chapter 16

The hovercraft wasn't nearly as fast as it was before. Originally meant for two, the hovercraft was now twice the size and four times the weight. Battered by winds, it made slow progress across the jungle canopy. Inside, Trilby and Sparky sat at the back of the craft, antenna wrapped around metallic ports in the ship's hull, the dull hum of electricity was clearly audible in the silence that enveloped the ship. They sat uncomfortably on metal, as it slowly headed toward Kauai. Lilo sat beside Stitch, in the front, was occupied tapping the screen of Jumba's computer. Stitch, in the driving seat, was fidgeting clearly uncomfortable at the slow speed they maintained.

Lilo was considering Trilby's loyalty. He seemed nice enough around her. But when he wasn't round her, he was fighting experiments, delivering computer's to Hamsterviel. Not friendly things. There was always the chance he was lying about ever being their friend. Despite this she still let him power the ship. Could be a terrible idea, but she digressed. She needed to shut down Hamsterviel's ship, slowly as they made their way to Kauai, a large ship could be seen on the horizon. Large rays of light shone from the ship's hull dazzling any onlookers on the ground. To them the light could be the sun shine, clever disguise for hiding from human sight. From the ship they could see clearly. Lilo tried to guess the make of ship by flicking through schematics on Jumba's computer. One ship seemed a close match the 'Graghadah frigate class'. Built for storing and guarding cargo- like experiments.

"Be careful Stitch, apparently this ship has, 'heavy artillery, and a large arsenal of plasma cannons, and a powerful concentrated laser'.

"Ih," Stitch was already on over watch, waiting for the telltale plasma trails. The loud engaging sound of the plasma cannon.

"Are we close yet," called Trilby from the back, unable to see past the front seats.

"We are close so be careful for plasma blasts."

"Great melted into atoms, that would make my day…" Lilo ignored the sarcasm, looking toward the ground she gasped as the remains of Kauai came into view. Experiments bounced amongst the ruins of houses, giggling. Filled with the untold glee of destruction. From the shadows, soldiers- of some sort- in camouflage suits leaped out of bushes snatching exhausted experiments from where they lay panting. Clearly Hamsterviel had hired some more people to do the collecting than just Gantu. Shuttles, filled with experiments floated from the surface to the ship. Stitch saw his cousins captured, angered he revved the, already struggling, engine. Apparently, the move alerted the 'mother ship' as a huge number of cannons appeared from the ship. In response, Stitch fired up his own cannon. Plasma flashed past their craft in a flurry of colour and lights. Stitch tried to manoeuvre the craft but, the sixe and weight made it difficult. Plasma splashed over the metal plating singeing the metal exterior the craft held. Weathering the storm of plasma, the ship made of junk. Stitch's cannon fired a flurry in retaliation, destroying cannons, and relieving some of the pressure. A stray ball of plasma connected with the cannon's connection shaft, the cannon dropped off Stitch's vessel. Soon, after the ship had been battered by innumerable balls of plasma the metal connections fried, plates started falling from the ship's hull. The weight loss, granting the craft a small boost of speed as Stitch aimed the craft at one of the port holes he pushed as hard as he could on the accelerator, a port hole one of the shuttles was using to ferry experiments. The ship began falling apart quickly the engines failing and the plasma carved its way into the inside of the ship, like cracking a boiled egg.

"Huddle now!" Lilo shouted ducking down, instantly they stopped powering the ship. Diving into the arms of Lilo. As the walls gave way around them.

"Detonate the core Stitch."

"IH!" and he pressed the button.

The back of the ship exploded catapulting the four into the port hole, as the ship was shredded. The blast-proof experiments cushioned Lilo from the blast as they were sent, careering into the ship.

Stunned for a moment, the four lay on the cargo bay floor, recovering from the blast. They had landed in a wide room. Littered with boxes, cages, capsules. Clearly for the experiments that were being transported. Debris from the hovercraft had dented and smashed much of these items, however. One large door dominated the wall between the sky and the ship's interior.

Stitch was the first to recover and in the his adrenaline rush, dived at the nearest moving target. Luckily it was a guard who had come to investigate. The guard was kitted out in the latest blast resistant body suit. Unfortunately, Stitch would prove more of a blast than the suit could handle. He tried to grab Stitch, who had attached himself to his helmet. Stitch, who had all his arms, had twisted the helmet so the visor was the wrong way round, blinded the guard stumbled, tripped. Stitch let the alien man fall before taking his plasma blaster and tying him up in his own breathing suit. Sparky and Trilby recovered in time for the next wave of investigating soldiers. A group of ten soldiers filed through the door. The soldiers drew their weapons, they began firing at the three experiments. Sparky made a quick attempt to shock the soldiers- there suits were not conductive, but there weapons were. He flew up high to draw their fire, he allowed bolts of lightning to lance to the rifles barrel. The weapons overheated and exploded with the pressure, sending the guards back. Stitch laid down covering fire, shooting the rifle with deadly accuracy. Trilby, rolled through the guards legs, realising how advanced these suits were he sought to use that against them, using his electricity he set the magnetism control on their boots to the maximum setting. The boots locked to the ship floor with incredible force. This rendered the guards immobile. They were now without weapons, they couldn't move and Stitch had a plasma blaster trained at the guards heads.

"Don't shoot them Stitch!" Cried Lilo, she had recovered from the force of the explosion, but a large purple bruise was appearing on her head.

"Is Lilo ok?" Replied Stitch,

"I'm fine Stitch, but I'm still not indestructible like you,

"Nice idea, little brother," Sparky landed next to Trilby,

"Thanks, couldn't have done it if they had weapons though, so it's all on you," Trilby hugged Sparky.

The guards looked at each other with confusion as the praising happened around them.

"Stitch take off the helmet of that guard," she said pointing to the closest.

"Ih, Lilo," he jumped up to the man, taking off the helmet. The alien flinched as Stitch lifted the blaster at the man.

"Ok, you're going to tell me where I can find the experiments, NOW, or maybe I'll get my dog to chew one of your legs for a bit." Stitch growl menacingly, making sure he saw his row of spark white teeth.

"Remind me to never get on her bad side," Whispered Trilby to Sparky, who laughed,

The guards on the other hand, particularly the lizard-like alien who had the gun aimed at him.

"It… It's… down the hall on the 28th right there is a large room filled with all the experiments."

"Good, now tell me all the traps on the way to this room."

"There is an invisible tripwire in sector 23b you can walk past it through sector 23a…" The list carried on for a two minutes.

"You have this place pretty well guarded I'll give you that,"

"Anyway have a nice day," They left through the open door, On the other side Trilby accessed the panel locking the cargo bay door and smashing the panel.

"How are you going to remember that whole list," asked Trilby,

She opened Jumba's computer showing the record button, and the recorded message.

"Nicely done,"

They ran down a long white corridor. Lights lined the corridor all the way down the length of the ship. Lilo played the recording back over and over, making sure she missed all the tripwires. and traps they would find. After a while. The made it to the room the man had spoken about. The room was huge and circular rows and rows of cell-like rooms. Under each one was a number. The number of the experiment. Some had an experiment present some didn't. Lilo realised almost every present experiment was exhausted, sleeping in their cells. It would be difficult to get them out. The room was mostly empty except for a massive wall sized screen that showed the grinning face of Dr Jaque von Hamsterviel.

"Velcome to my experiment exhibition!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Hamsterviel! Give us back our experiments!" Lilo yelled at the huge screen. Stitch, was horrified at the sight of his family locked up, jumped instantly toward the screen. Trilby and Sparky were on guard ready for danger. Hamsterviel appeared to lounge on the other side of the screen, a sense of accomplishment plastered across his face.

"Oh no angry little earth girl, you are not understanding zi situation you delivered to me, the two experiments I could not get. So thank you."

"Stitch will not let you take his cousins and I won't either."

"Little girl, you won't have zi opportunity." Lilo caught his drift, she spun round in time to see the door slam shut behind them," You see, all zi experiments shall be mine. Including your precious 626." He pointed to a cell along the wall. Underneath the numbers 626 stood out in black against the white walls." Gantu! Knock those experiments out, now!"

Gantu appeared at the other end of the circular room through a door, he sauntered up to the desk of controls taking the time to smirk at the experiments. All four of them realised the situation they were in. Gantu pressed a few buttons on the desk. All around the room speakers appeared from the walls. Panels opened to reveal the large Clearly they would use to sound to knock the experiments out. Stitch began sprinting up to Gantu, but the room was too large. A hundred metres from wall to wall, and circular. Sparky growled in annoyance- the speakers were not metal he couldn't short it out. Lilo was scouring the walls for a way out.

"It's is time to pay you back for all the times you humiliated me!" Gantu called his large finger hovering over a button on the panel."

"We'll find a way out of this Hamsterviel!"

"HA HA you are delusional, earth girl! Gantu! Now!"

Gantu pressed the button. A screeching noise pierced the room, all around the room experiments were knocked out in their cells. Stitch, who had been running full pelt, tripped as consciousness evaded him. Sparky, covered his ears but couldn't resist the noise. Lilo watched as her experiment friends fell to the floor writhing in unconsciousness. She had led them into a trap. She should have made a proper plan before this but she was so angry at Hamsterviel, that she had run head- first into a trap. Now Stitch would be caught. Sparky would be caught. Trilby would be…

Trilby had seen the whole thing coming. As Gantu wasted time strolling to the controls Trilby had been pressing buttons on the helmet Stitch had taken from the guard. As they wasted time, making comments and savouring premature victory. He had his own cunning scheme. Obviously the whole thing was a trap. He had seen the whole thing coming. Obviously the guard who knew the EXACT route to this room was meant to say it. Trilby jammed the helmet onto his head. Pressing a few more commands he felt it tighten around his neck. Becoming waterproof, heatproof and more importantly… Soundproof. When Gantu hit the button and his brother and acquaintances fell to the floor, he was ready. He leapt as a bolt of lightning toward Gantu, snatching Jumba's computer as he went. A small group of three guards entered, clearly to collect them once they had fallen. He bolted to the floor rolling. He swept the legs out from one, snatching his blaster. He tossed it to Lilo who was watching him. She caught the weapon, and since he couldn't speak through the helmet, gave a nod- which in the context clearly meant 'cover me'. She fired at the other two guards. Who were drawing weapons of their own. Hamsterviel face twisted in annoyance as he watched Lilo blasting his soldiers and Trilby bolt toward the controls;

"Reinforce!" He howled. Gantu heard. He picked up a communicator and started yelling commands into it, as he drew his blaster he levelled it at Trilby.

Trilby's adrenaline ran wild, he could hack into Hamsterviel's mainframe form that panel using Jumba's computer. He just needed time to do it. He could control all the doors and commands on the ship once he did. Then he could pick up his brother and make a break for the exit. But first… Gantu fired rounds at Trilby, but with Sparky's speed he dodged every round of plasma. He touched the barrel of the gun frying the internal functions, then he flew round his head frying the communicator. Then he jolted the big grey alien. His size sent him tumbling to the ground. Ripping open a hatch on the control panel he snatched a connection wire he plugged it into Jumba's computer. The computer was high tech and made the connection to the mainframe instantly. Trilby began hacking the ship's mainframe. Lilo was crouched over Stitch, firing the plasma at the soldiers- who returned the fire. The wailing noise still permeated the air, screeching. Lilo was determined to protect Stitch. She fired again and again. The guards fell. But more appeared at the doorways. They funnelled through But fell over their own comrades. Trilby had hacked into the ship, pressing the download button he saw all the information being downloaded onto Jumba's computer once it was finished they could leave. He disabled the speakers. The noise died. Even then it would take a while to wake Stitch and Sparky. The room had doors at regular intervals. Lilo had run out of ammunition, and had dragged Stitch to a wall sheltering him from the confusion. Once again she sprinted to Sparky who was snoring oblivious to the turmoil around him. Guards entering through opposite sides of the room ended up hitting others on the opposite side. In retribution, they fired back. The room was rife with friendly fire. These mercenaries, people who were only in it for the money, believed other mercenaries were shooting them to make their share bigger. On the screen, Hamsterviel hopped, fury imbuing his features.

"Get zem he shouted." His face was growing redder by the minute. Trilby flew down to where Lilo was crouched, unscrewing the helmet he threw it off.

"Lilo we can escape though the ventilation system. I will open it but I need you to push them in too. Then wait there for me. I shall distract them with a little light show." She nodded,

Trilby sat beside Jumba's computer, he was in control, most of the ship's minor appliances he could command. First, he opened the ventilation hatch for Lilo, once she disappeared down the chute, he turned out all the lights. The room was plunged into total darkness. The only light coming from the red face on the screen. Then he closed all the doors locking them. All faces turned to Hamsterviel's face, filled with anger and frustration.

"You are zi most incompetent soldiers I have ever hired, I don't know why I ever did, you cannot catch a little girl…" clearly this would last for a while.

Trilby carefully unplugged the computer, in the dark he crept round the wall toward the vent. No guards noticed, the face of Hamsterviel dominating the wall. In the darkness, he felt his way round the room letting his night vision kick in. As he crept round he relaxed. A mistake. He was almost to the vent when a body slumped in front of him. In surprise he tripped, the computer sliding out of his hands clattering. Hamsterviel's face- along with a hundred pairs of eyes turned to see him on the floor.

"Zat experiment- zis is all his fault catch him!" The men piled on top of him, trying to catch him.

"Whoever catches zat experiment shall have a massive bonus." Goaded by this prospect the pile grew higher and higher, Trilby felt the air flush out of him. Then he calmed allowing the electricity to snake through the bodies. He found the computer- upside down a metre away. The vent was just beyond that, he let the stored electricity concentrate. Gaining power, he felt his pores fill with pure energy, lightning of vast power. Then he let loose. The lightning blasted the pile apart. He tried to fly but tripped again. He lifted his hand-red- the power, Sparky's power, had run out. Despite this he started to roll. Soldiers dived, trying to predict his movements. He swerved, stopped, changed direction, bodies fell in front, behind, by his side. He felt the sweat from a hundred swarming bodies. Piling, blocking him. He grabbed the computer, standing he swung it. Hitting a soldier in the knee. He fell into his comrades, causing them to fall. He jumped toward the vent- just out of reach. Suddenly, he felt a searing pain up his leg, blistering heat. Plasma. They had shot him. Unfortunately this upset his balance- it sent him tumbling. Another hit, splashing across his back and shoulder. The fur unpowered, unresisting blistered flesh, immediately he felt his muscles grow weak and weary. A last push sent him through the vent hatch, pulling the computer with him. He tumbled the short distance into the arms of his brother, he felt the pain of hands on blistered skin, he felt powerless the plasma encroaching on his mind. He felt faint, then his body switched off for repairs- it was his brothers turn now.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Sparky woke with a start. Lilo was sitting watching an open vent above them. He felt fur- Stitch lay beside him snoring. He felt dizzy like he had been knocked out by a hammer. He sat letting the memories of the past hour wash over him like a wave. He noticed something was missing.

"Trilby!" He said.

"He said he'd be down soon, he has turned the lights out, that's why it's so dark." Lilo whispered with a finger on her lip. She was right, any noise could alert the enemy. It was dark, Sparky realised his night vision had subconsciously turned on. It was eerily quiet up by the open vent. He must be sneaking he thought.

"What happened," he whispered.

"I don't really know, it was a blur. You and Stitch got knocked out, he took the computer and connected it to the panel, he threw me a blaster. Then he opened the vent and I pushed you and Stitch through. He's still up there though." The air was tense. They were both afraid to move in case it somehow alerted them.

Suddenly, a clattering up by the vent, a multitude of shouting, crying wailing. Trilby was in danger. Sparky sensed that his brother was in trouble. Dashing up to the vent he saw a massive pile of soldiers in white spacesuits. He growled preparing to jump to. A large shockwave blasted apart the pile. Sparky felt the electricity wash over him. It was odd, to be electrical being shocked made you nauseated. Sparky became more dizzy he fell back to the floor of the vent roughly three metres from the opening. Sparky lay for a second as Lilo looked shocked at his fall. He shook his head, then he leapt back up only to fall back down again. Sparky felt Trilby fall into his arms, his brother, now no longer yellow was red- powerless. Plasma burns scorched his skin. Blisters had formed. SParky flew back to the ground laying him down.

"Is he ok," Lilo was shaking Stitch. The Computer landed next to her clattering again. On the screen was an option.' VENT 017459 STATUS= OPEN.' Lilo grabbed the computer entering the close command. The vent above them slammed closed.

"Clever guy, is he all right?"

"No, lots plasma burns." It looked bad. The red fur was pockmarked and scorched black in places.

"We need to go Sparky can you carry him?"

"Yeah," Lilo grabbed Stitch lifting him over onto her shoulders. Stitch almost touched the roof of the vent. Sparky did the same being careful not to upset the blisters.

"Where do we go,"

"Anywhere,"

She grabbed the computer. They would probably still need it.

Stitch was heavy, a lot heavier than he looked and Lilo struggled to carry him. After about ten minutes Stitch woke, he jumped off her back instantly, growling. Sparky- who was behind her was surprised by his cousins sudden awakening. He flinched, trying to right himself, he crashed into Stitch and they both fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

"Stitch!" cried Lilo, rolling her eyes as noise echoed down the chute. "Be quiet, Sparky isn't an enemy."

"Oh, sorry Sparky- what happened? Where are we?"

"I don't know where we are, I thought Trilby would know the way when he told me to wait for him."

"How would Trilby know?" Stitch looked thoughtfully at Trilby, he was cunning, he probably had a plan, but got shot with plasma and was knocked out. He could see that from the limp red body and the telltale signs of burning.

"I'll explain," Said Sparky, and in the efficient language of the experiments," He used the helmet to block out that sound, Then he took Jumba's computer and went to the panel. After some time…"

"The computer?"

"Yes, right Lilo?" Sparky looked up at Lilo, her eyes lit up, comprehension.

"The computer of course," Lilo let Stitch take the computer. He tapped a few keys allowing the ship's control's flash up in a list.

"The clever guy hacked the ship's mainframe. We control the ship's minor functions." This did not translate so well into English but Stitch did his best with his limited vocabulary.

"We need to find a shuttle to take us down to the ground," Lilo poked the screen, as if the answer would suddenly appear. Stitch started tapping at speed. A map of the ship, as well as a map of the vents appeared on the screen.

"It looks like the closest one is right… there." She pointed to a spot labelled 'Shuttle Port'.

"What about cousins, Lilo?" He looked sad, he was being told to leave his family behind, something he was taught not to do.

"We can't get them now Stitch, you saw them as well, they are to exhausted now to leave, and that sound could knock them out before they go anywhere. We need Jumba, and now we have a map."

"Ok, Lilo." he knew she was right, but it still felt like he was abandoning them. His ears drooped.

"We should go, we can catch a shuttle out, and if we're lucky we can get one that's full of experiments."

Stitch took the lead, following the map from their location, which showed up as a red dot on the screen. Lilo followed, then Sparky still carrying Trilby. Sparky felt tired, he felt an strong urge to lie down and sleep. The effects of that sound. What made it so potent against the experiments. Jumba had a lot to answer for. They continued through the vents. Jumba's computer providing the guiding light. They all felt tired, none of them had slept and nothing but the adrenaline had kept them awake. But it was hardly the time to just fall asleep. Stitch stopped suddenly, causing the line to wake and stop moving. Stitch pointed to the light coming from a grate in front of them. A line of guards stood by, watching as a shuttle pulled into the cargo bay, They watched in disgust as they carried experiments out, 121, 441, 602- all friends they had to save. But they held themselves back- not now. All the experiments were asleep- exhausted. They were carried away without a fight- it wasn't fair and they felt it. The anger, they were all forced to repress. Lilo and Stitch were especially enraged. All their hard work being stolen from under their noses.

"Calm down Stitch," Lilo warned. He was breathing heavily, "Stitch?" He was panting now, his adrenaline rushing back. His family… Taken away… He felt the pain that they felt. It was his job to make sure they were safe. His job to protect them. He couldn't sit still. He couldn't let them go.

With a roar he burst from the vent. The element of surprise on his side, he dispatched several guards his arms flailing in a flurry of well placed blows. Sparky lay Trilby down, and flew down to help his overeager cousin. The guards fell like stalks of wheat in harvest. Lilo leapt down computer in hand she shut the vent behind her for good measure, The vent led out into a cargo hold much the same as the one they had arrived in. But a shuttle was docked in the area. Aliens carrying the snoring experiments dropped their charges immediately. A few trapped experiments woke and rubbed their eyes in shock. As their faces pressed against the heavy duty glass of their container walls. Plasma fell about in great sloshing mounds of glowing plasma. Stitch tore into the aliens with ferocity, one by one they fell. Sparky was unable to do any actual damage through the poly- titanium carbonate white suits, but he made a great show of destroying communicators, guns, panels, commands. Lilo rushed to the shuttle, she was locked out. She grabbed a connection wire, jamming it into the computers port. A large option appeared, 'HACK?". She pressed it and a moment sent the shuttle into a juddering start.

"Stitch, Sparky! Now!" Then the doors crashed open. A huge alien, huge muscles adorned his body in a overzealous show of strength. In his hands he clutched a huge speaker. He grinned.

The noise permeated over the group. Again Sparky and Stitch fell to the floor. Lilo screamed in frustration- the same old trick. The computer was showing the 'launch' command as being ready. But she couldn't consciously leave without Stitch, Sparky or Trilby. The screeching sound stopped and the big alien threw the speaker aside. Flexing his fingers he sauntered up to the small shuttle where Lilo was, the ship, barely a cockpit, wings and a hold. Was like a bug before him. He was huge, muscled and smiling with the giddiness of victory. Suddenly there was a bang. The vent had been thrown open. Trilby, looked angrily at the big reptilian alien with disgust. He leapt down to the floor he lifted Stitch letting his weight upon him. He felt the power of experiment 626 wash over him like a wave, his ovals filling with dark blue. His body filling with inhuman strength. The alien had turned to see the small red body fill with blue, same as the body he had lifted above his head. He flexed. It was no match for him. He swung fists clenched into contorted flesh. The Stitch- Trilby was not worried, he was all show. He caught the fist, lifting the man humanly above his head tossing him to the side of the room. He crashed into the wall, his pupils grew wide and sharp. In anger he roared charging forward. Trilby took the hit. Stalwart he endured the powerful blows the alien threw. Trilby punched the man in the stomach sending him sprawling, he groaned as his insides settled. Stitch was powerful.

"Thank you, buddy," Trilby looked down at the body of Stitch on the floor. His anger had dissipated. Being in the vent had muffled but not drowned out the sound, as such he had only grown angry instead of being knocked out. Suddenly he felt tired, as if all the punches he received were finally hitting him, he swayed light headed his hands turned red again. He was exhausted he couldn't absorb any other power. Not for a while. He saw Lilo's face in front of him. She was frowning, patting him telling him to 'come on'.

There was a distinctive growl that could be heard. The big alien had recovered. So many hits from Stitch had taken its toll on him, he crawled toward the speaker lying abandoned.

"NO!" Lilo screamed running at him. He brushed her aside with a sweep of his hand. She fell and landed on the floor away from them. She seemed unconscious. Stupid, he thought. Then he snapped out of his delirium. He was standing still. He was powerless again. If the alien played the sound again he was doomed. He looked around frantically- the ship! But the others. He weighed his options. He charged, he felt the anger draining form him. He felt fatigue clog his muscles, he felt the searing burning feeling of his burned skin. The sound had given him a boost but not for long. He lifted Sparky onto his shoulders, taking care to keep him there he ran to the shuttle. His vision became blurry. He was tired and hungry, he was weak and injured, carrying a brother on his back. He jumped up the steps slamming the door. He dropped Sparky, leaping up he smashed his head on the launch button. The shuttle- already pre- destined for earth fell from the mother ship toward the ground. The sound drifted over the ship like a siren call. He fell into a deep sleep again. He shouldn't have fought, but the sound forced his hands. He had used far too much energy, as had Sparky, he tossed in disturbed sleep. The pair. Destined to see familiar faces. Not happy ones.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The fresh air tasted sweet. He hovered at the edge of consciousness, the comfort of sleep still a powerful aroma in his mind. But how long had he slept? The shuttle must have landed. But he smelt fresh air so where was he? He was sitting. He felt metal beneath him, he was leaning against something furry. He felt something on his arm, he tried to brush it off but it was stuck. He tried to lift it and his other arm lifted with it. It was the same for all his arms. Something was most definitely wrong. Now he only had to open his eyes, and see what it was. The light blinded Trilby for a moment, as his eyes adjusted he got a good look at his surroundings. All of his arms were bound by restraints. He seemed to be in a cage but instead of bars there was a thick pane of heavy duty glass- the same as they used in the glass capsules. Air came in through cracks on the top. Looking over his shoulder, Sparky- was bound the same way. He was still asleep. Outside the cage, they seemed to be in some sort of tent. They were on a table, littered with tools and machine parts. He noticed Jumba's computer sitting closed on the table further down. A bed took up a lot of room on the other side of the tent. Nothing that could save them. The sun shone brightly through the crack. Air Trilby felt he should have some sort of strategy or plan to escape but he wasn't remotely interested in escaping from their captors- for the moment. His muscles still ached, his skin was blistered. He just wanted to rest. Besides they were bound in an unbreakable cage. Not much diversity for a plan. He closed his eyes again, letting sleep blanket mind. The problems will come later.

He woke again, Sparky was moving.

"Sparky? You Ok?"

"Yes, why do I always fall asleep and wake up in a worse spot than before?"

"Can't get much worse than this, huh?"

"Don't push it."

"Yeah well not much we can do now,"

"So you don't have some magical plan to get out of this."

"Why don't you do the plan for a change?"

"I could but then why would I need you,"

"Ok, you're lucky I'm wearing these," He shook the restraints.

"I'm lucky!? I beat you before,"

"You tickled me with that lightning."

"You cheated, you absorbed it."

"Maybe, you should have seen it coming,"

"What… no… You…" Then they burst out laughing. Odd considering the circumstances. It was all they could do.

"How did we get here anyway? I got knocked out on the ship, right?" Trilby recounted how he beat up the alien. How he had become exhausted, grabbed Sparky and jumped on the shuttle. How he left without Lilo or Stitch.

"You left them?"

"I had to, he was going to knock me out, I didn't see any other way." Sparky didn't say anything else. He didn't seem impressed, but he could hardly rebut the validity of his choice. But somehow it still sounded like abandonment. A long streak of muttering and grunting heralded their captor.

Jumba Jookiba swept the tent flap open, he carried what looked like a Hoover. On his back a glass capsule, a yellow laser experiment.

"You are sly, little experiment 603." He deposited the device on the table, sending several implements to the floor, and giving the trapped pair a shake. He laid the capsule down by his bed and stretched. He looked tired. He wore a camouflage outfit, but most of the mud stains were real. His face was dirty, he was ragged. He kneaded his forehead. Then he noticed the pair looking straight at him.

"Ah, the little traitor is awake." The experiments looked at each other, not sure who he was talking to.

"I have been working all day because of what you did," He looked at Trilby,

"And I suppose you helped him, eh 221?"

"Um… Doctor Jumba we can explain everything," Trilby started.

Sparky nodded frantically, he didn't speak English very well (he spoke fluently in the experiment's language).

"Oh you will explain everything but first I need to sleep. Pleakly!" After a minute Pleakly rushed into the tent. His face was dirty and scratched like Jumba but he seemed in unusually high spirits.

"Yes, Jumba?"

"Take traitors to your tent, I need sleep," He waved his hand at the cage. Pleakly picked up the cage, Pleakly struggled with the weight, knocking the pair from side to side. Trilby tender burned skin crying in pain. Restrained they found it difficult to keep steady. Outside the tent, the mid afternoon sun beat down a huge mass of people were congregated, tents were pitched in ordered lines. It was sunny, the men worked on pitching tents, and marquees. It was fascinating, seeing tourists and locals working together. But, worrying about their own safety at the time. Pleakly tripped on a tent peg- dropping the cage.

"Hey, Pleakly be careful would you,"

From the floor, they could see the twisted melted lighthouse. Sparky reeled back from the sight. Trilby was confused.

"Hey, Hey Sparky what's wrong?" He didn't reply but Trilby followed his gaze. The lighthouse was a wreck. "Wonder how that happened," He looked back at Sparky who seemed to be about to cry. He looked between them. Then a memory hit him of the day he arrived. The article and the lighthouse.

"Did you… uh… live… there?" Sparky looked away still silent. Trilby could read situations and he shouldn't say anything more. Pleakly was nursing his foot,

"You naughty little monsters are heavier than you look." He looked around, "Hey! Nosey could you help me for a second. Nosey who, ever the journalist, was interviewing a couple of pale tourists at the time. He turned.

"What's up, 'one eye'… oh…" he had noticed the cage, and Sparky.

Apparently, Sparky heard Nosey because he proceeded to curl into a tight ball. Trilby, seeing Nosey for the first time- big red experiment with an enormous nose. Except he wore a sweater and a pair of glasses. Nosey walked over and grabbed one side of the cage, as Pleakly grabbed the other. Together they lifted and began carrying it to a tent.

"Um… Nosey was it?"

"Who are you?"

"The name's Trilby I'm…"

"Oh yeah, you're that spy I remember." Trilby rolled his eyes. "What are you doing with Sparky? He would never help a spy."

"I am not a spy!"

"Quiet down please, the humans will hear," Pleakly butted in. "We will sort this out later," They scowled at each other. Neither one willing to break the rule. They entered Pleakly's tent. A huge tent packed full with skirts and wigs and all manner of clothing. Pleakly swept a table clear of clothes placing the cage atop it. Nosey looked concernedly at Sparky, who refused to look at anyone. Then he looked sharply and suspiciously at Trilby. He wasn't sure, but a spy, could he have convinced him to do all the things he did. It couldn't have been Sparky's fault, he knew that. But if it was his fault. Time to do what you do best he thought.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Day turned to night in the tent, and the mood improved a little. Pleakly released them long enough for them to eat. Trilby was starving and ate heartily, but Sparky refused the food. A battle raged in his head, Trilby could feel it.

"Sparky, you need to eat." He shook his head. " You are going to have to talk at some point." He turned to look at Trilby. In his eyes, there was trust, but also doubt. Since Trilby told him how he had left Lilo and Stitch. Sparky knew that they would be caged on Hamsterviel's ship had Trilby not been as cunning as he was. But he was a deceptive experiment. He was hard to read, and he honestly couldn't tell what his motives really were. He was always calm, even in the most trying of situations, he was plotting, planning. Then there was the things that Jumba had said. Were they true? Could he be another cog in his plan. Were they truly brothers? He seemed to care about him sure. But was it just another part of his plan. Something about how quickly he had abandoned Lilo and Stitch. Then Nosey's face as he noticed Sparky in the cage. Conflicted. He was part of two different families. He knew he would have to choose. Which family he would be part of, and the lighthouse grew bigger and bigger in his mind. Testament to his broken will.

Nosey tapped into Jumba's computer outside his tent. When it came to unearthing secrets he was the best. It was a simple matter of breaking into Jumba's tent while he was asleep. He had done much harder. He flicked through the options.' Trilby was created from a tiny fraction of DNA from every experiment. He could turn into another experiment- given it transferred the power. He delved deeper into the system. He played back the last phone call. He seemed to be working with Lilo, Stitch and Sparky at that time- a day and a half ago. So why was Sparky and him here, and Lilo and Stitch not. He needed to talk to them. He replaced the computer in the exact spot it had been in before. But then he noticed a roll of blueprints. Experiment 629 was its label. Experiment 629? He thought. The ovals, it must refer to Trilby. He snatched the computer again. He scanned the page, he then printed out an exact copy. Rolling it up he, turned the computer off once again. Jumba wouldn't notice any difference when he wakes. He snuck back to their tent. Pleakly was in there letting them eat- he would have to wait then.

The next morning brought drizzle, but it was still humid. They hadn't slept much that night. Pleakly, ever the optimist, gave Sparky some encouragement. Assuring him everything would be fine. But he had given Trilby a sidelong glance of disapproval. Trilby recognized the look. He had been getting it the whole time so far. They loved Sparky. But they saw him as confused, misunderstood. Trilby, they saw to be dangerous, manipulative- the problem. This was a recurring theme. Pleakly ran a sort of 'experiment support group' in his tent. Experiments came in gave Sparky the worried look, and Trilby the look of disapproval and left. Sparky felt the looks drill into him- he lay staring at the ceiling of the tent- wondering. On the other hand, Trilby didn't care for the looks. They couldn't hurt him, experiments couldn't hurt him. Instead he felt his strength return, and his motivation. He needed to get them out. During one of Pleakly's groups, five experiments sat and talked, Jumba had burst in. His size shaking the tent- sending clothes to the floor- knocking a porcupine like experiment, onto his back, in one arm he held his computer, open, and in the other he held a small orange experiment.

"Now, is time for questions."

"Jumba! Be careful, and we were in the middle of something here." Pleakly said indignantly helping Spike back onto his feet.

"Can wait Pleakly, now…" He sat crossing his arms staring at the pair. The experiments in the group, he had disturbed, looked at him in bewilderment. Their gaze travelled between Jumba, Trilby and Sparky.

"Experiment 629, you cannot lie, Fibber here is lie detector."

"I have nothing to lie about," The orange experiment buzzed.

"Oh… Really?" He leant in close. Trilby stared defiantly back. Sparky, still lying, did nothing.

"629, Do you work for Hamsterviel?"

"No," Fibber was silent his eyes locked on him. Without a doubt he felt the same about Trilby as everyone else.

"Hmm," Jumba hadn't expected this, neither did Pleakly or any of the experiments. "Then why did you steal computer." His voice was a lot less threatening. Trilby explained how he wanted to know what exactly the 'experiments were' since his memory was scrambled at the time. "So you really did lose your memory?"

"Yes I did," Then Trilby explained how he had been caught by Gantu taken up to the mountain, his battle with Sparky, the rebuilding of the craft, the infiltration of the ship. He skipped over the battle with Slushy and the establishment of him and Sparky's brotherhood. Fibber remained silent the whole time. Jumba sat absorbing the information, as did Pleakly and the experiments.

"So you see, I did all the things I did because I had lost my memory."

"Really 629? It seems I have been misunderstanding. But if everything you say is true where is little girl and 626?"

"Back on the ship. The sound knocked Sparky and Stitch out. I grabbed Sparky and took off in the shuttle, before I too was knocked out."

"Little girl and 626 captured!" The news upset the group they all started acting up. "This is very bad," Jumba tapped his computer furiously. The experiments looked at each other panic in their eyes they feared capture. Pleakly was panicking openly and loudly.

"629 you never meant to abandon them, right?"

"No, I didn't…" A loud buzz pierced the panic. A painful silence landed on the tent then. All eyes settled on Trilby. For a small moment he had been accepted.

"So you did mean to leave them for Hamsterviel…"

"Yes… I did." The silence that followed this statement was painful. The experiments now looked him with outright hostility. Even Sparky sat up to look at his brother with a mixture of anger and confusion. Trilby's resolve broke then. His calm features shattered to reveal his shame. His true nature. His carefree nature, was just a mask. To hide his motives and plans. "When I got caught by Gantu. My memory returned. I was created by Hamsterviel, and I was made for a purpose."He looked down." Every experiment has to have a purpose. The experiment must be used for its purpose as well, if you resist it for too long it shall take over. For all of your experiments the purpose is destruction. That's why when they are destructive by nature. Only… My purpose isn't destruction. Hamsterviel built me too defeat you, but not by force you see…" He turned to look Sparky in the eye. His face filled with anguish and shame. "My purpose… Is to break families." And Fibber was silent.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Trilby looked at the roof. Now officially a dangerous experiment. Officially evil. He lay bound on the floor of the cage. Sparky was gone. They let him go under the promise that he attend Pleakly's support group. He didn't say or even look at Trilby as he was set free, and this pained Trilby more than he could know. He hadn't said everything he wanted to say. On the mountain Sparky was vulnerable and he used that to his advantage. Sparky had carried him, trusted him fully, and Trilby had meant to use him. What Trilby hadn't counted on was that he had started to like Sparky legitimately. Which is why he saved him from Hamsterviel. Trilby almost regretted not leaving alone as he had planned. But Trilby had not known any family. Sparky was his first and only taste of what it was like to have someone care about him, and he had liked it. But that was over now. He was alone again. As it had been before. This was metaphorical. He was not alone literally, he had guards, a few experiments stood by the entrance to his tent- he had his own tent- to make sure he didn't escape. Trilby still thought he could. The experiments who guarded him were vulnerable like Sparky was. They were worried, scared. Trilby was built for deception. One touch and he would have their powers. But at that moment he had very little reason to escape. He only had one purpose, and he had done enough damage already. He could only bring more pain to the already struggling family around him. He could break it so easily. He shook his head. Just a voice… At the back of his head.

Sparky sat at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the waves. The familiar ocean, the familiar view. The lighthouse beside him now a twisted wreck. He sighed. He was no longer any kind of outcast. Now that most other experiments in the camp had wreaked havoc as he had- thanks to the sound- they were in the same spot as him- Worrying whether people would forgive them. So he was fine- accepted- they spoke to him like any other experiment. He was no different. But Trilby's betrayal of his trust. That had hit him hard. He thought he lost a family, only to find he had another, only to lose that one and get the old one back. He should feel the same as he did before, but he didn't. For a time Trilby had been his hope his motivation and inspiration. Now to find out it was a lie. It couldn't be that simple, but the facts were there. His purpose to drive families apart, his skill at perception and deception, abandoning Lilo and Stitch. Sparky felt ashamed when he remembered he had denounced his family. Trilby had single handed- driven his family to the point of collapse. He was evil. Cunning, deceptive. But deep down he still cared somehow. Against all reason, he still seemed to see Trilby as having made a mistake. He remembered he had made a mistake too. His calm carefree face lingered on his mind. The perpetual docile face which hid his plots and plans. Then when he looked Sparky in the eye and his face, contorted revealed his true nature, he seemed to regret it somehow. Like it had been a mistake. He sighed again letting the sea breeze wash over his face. His fur ruffled and birds flew in meandering patterns above the sea. His life was so much more complicated now since that day. The lighthouse, now an avid reflection of his being, twisted and confused, he stared at his simple past now a ruin at the edge of his mind. He had family to protect now. He had two families to protect now. Though he didn't think Trilby was in any kind of danger here, he still saw himself as responsible, obliged- the older brother.

"Sparky!" A voice pulled him back from his cavern of thoughts. "Sparky!" Turning Sparky noticed Nosey running up to meet him.

"Nosey, what's the rush," He hid his emotions behind a smile,

"So I was checking around… About that guy, Trilby right?"

"Why do you want to know about him,"

"There is something about him, he doesn't work for Hamsterviel. So, why did he do all the things he did? as a reporter it's my job to snoop." He smiled punching Sparky on the shoulder playfully.

"Not now Nosey,"

"What's wrong Sparky. Are you still worried about the stuff you did? It's all back to normal. Well as normal as it can be here."

"It's not that,"

"Then what is it you can trust me."

"I know… What Trilby was built to do… But I still believe… There is something else, more to the story." Nosey looked puzzled. He had deceived Sparky, what else was there to it. "Back on the ship, he meant to leave Lilo and Stitch behind, to break our family. So why did he save me, Nosey?" He turned to Nosey, his face had regained some of his old enthusiasm and strength. He felt conviction bristle in his fur, with it a feeling that he had not felt in a while. Hope.

"Were… were you two actually… close? You know it was lie, he said so himself."

"No, just because you believe something is a lie doesn't make it a lie. He lied to himself, not to me."

"Sparky… You're not going to free him are you?" Sparky turned there was a spark in his eye. "He's dangerous we know this, we're struggling to keep this family together as it is. If you free him you could be responsible for the total collapse of this family we all get captured, and forced to do what Hamsterviel wants. Understand?" Sparky walked up to the edge of the lighthouse, a bolt jumped to his fur completing the circuit.

"Nosey… Trust me… I know him, and if he wanted to escape he could, at any time,"

"Really!? Then why hasn't he?"

"Because he is unhappy." He took Nosey's hand, the electricity making his fur go spiky. He laughed. "He has no reason to escape, he has no hope… Like I was before," He felt the metallic plates of the lighthouse." The more unhappy an experiment gets the quicker it reverts to the original programming. I know this." He reached down picking up the remains of a bulb." He may be cunning and deceptive, and he may hide his true feelings behind a carefree face. But he can't hide the feelings he has from his family." He poked the light bulb with a glistening antenna.

"Family!?"

"He is in the same place I was. Trapped in a prison, without friends… or family…"

"Oh yeah I was meaning to apologize for that."

"Soon he will revert and crush the remains of our family, it's my turn to save him, my turn to come up with a plan." He smiled then, bright and energetic. All the melancholic thoughts dissolved, he would save his family. Both of them. He stood lifting the bulb. It lit as the power flowed through it the light was small on the wrecked lighthouse. Nosey was impressed. He patted down his now spiky fur.

"Yeah, Ok you've convinced me, and I guess I owe you so, I've got your back buddy, always. Oh, I was snooping in Jumba's tent and I found this, I think you should see it," Sparky floated to where Nosey was opening out a roll of paper. It was blue. A white outline, an experiment.

"Trilby?" he asked the ovals giving it away.

"Yeah, found it on the big creator's computer."

"Labels adorned the sheet, detailing his abilities, his adaptive capabilities, and unpowered deficiency."

"I already know all this,"

"I know but look at this," A scrawl of words at the bottom, it had been written in a rush and didn't appear too clearly. He read the words.

"Oh… I should tell him about this."

"We need to get him first."

"Good lets go save my little brother!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The plan was ready. It was a simple one, but Sparky was ecstatic- he had made a plan. Trilby would not outdo him. Nosey would distract the guard- it was Spike today. While Sparky would quietly sneak in to free him. Then they would all leave together. They were in high spirits, considering the situation. Experiments being caught all over the island, Lilo and Stitch trapped on the evil mastermind's ship. Troubling news, Jumba and Pleakly were doing their best to save the experiments but they weren't equipped for it. At the moment roughly 30 experiments were safe in the camp. As they passed Jumba's tent they heard shouting. Nosey's eavesdropping skill meant he heard every word. They stood just outside listening to the noise. Peaking in they saw Jumba and Pleakly bent over Jumba's computer. The face of the grand councilwomen clear on the surface.

"What do you mean problems!"

"Well… er… Yes we seem to be experiencing some… Unexpected delays. Something is disabling our cruisers. We can't hit it, we can't regroup. It's up to you to save as many experiments as you."

"We are already! Hamsterviel is being taking most of them. He is using sonic blast of epic proportion to neutralise experiments. I am working on cure… He swivelled the screen toward a headset like piece." I've already started giving them out to experiments. They will do until I find permanent cure."

"Very good Jumba, I heard you caught one of Hamsterviel's minions."

"Actually, your grandness, he is not minion or spy as I thought before. He was designed to 'break families'. Sad power really, how can someone supposed to break families ever be in family. I have locked him up and guarded him. He is too dangerous to let loose and we can't risk Hamsterviel catching him. Truthfully though I feel sorry for the little experiment. He was only following programming."

"Yes… So… Sad." Sniffed Pleakly, he seemed to be crying wiping his eyes.

"Regardless, Jumba, We shall be there as soon as we fix this problem. Until then, try not to get caught."

"Well my one eyed friend we are in big trouble here."

"I miss Lilo and the little monster." He wiped his eye.

"I know is hard. My friend." Sparky and Nosey were thoughtful. The situation they were in seemed hopeless. A few experiments against a huge ship filled with big henchman. It was hopeless head on. What they needed was a plan and a good one. They needed Trilby.

"Man… I hope you know what you're doing. I still don't really trust the guy."

"I think that, just because he is programmed to break families he has lied about everything he ever said. In fact I think his betrayal is the real lie here."

"How could you know that."

"He came to me when I was in a bad place. It's time to repay the debt, whether he is my brother or not."

"If you say so."

They moved through the camp, people swarmed past them. They all seemed in unusually high spirits like it was some sort of festival or tradition. They don't know a single thing about what happened do they? Sparky thought. Sometimes they would pass experiments they would stop and greet, hug, encourage. They were afraid and needed every bit of encouragement. They passed familiar faces. Generally, they passed experiments who weren't very powerful. Yarp, Snooty, Spike Jumba couldn't catch the dangerous ones alone. In the sky, zap watched for danger intruders and such. Jumba had set up warning systems. Camera's even turrets- all hidden so that Humans didn't notice them. Sparky and Nosey gave encouragement and no end of hugs. Hugs were a strong force of good, in this family. Soon they reached Trilby's tent. They were alarmed to see no guard at the entrance, where was Spike? They entered and were shocked to see an empty cell. Spike was lying on the floor he was playing with a spike throwing it up and down.

"What the…"

"Where are they?" Sparky was troubled. "Didn't we see Spike walking past us earlier?"

"Trilby!" they said together.

About a half hour before Trilby had been in his cage wondering. He was so close to snapping. So close to the threshold between sanity and madness. He had to leave before he hurt this family… And Sparky… any more than he already had. He wanted to save Lilo and Stitch, right the wrong he had wrought- for Sparky. But he mustn't know, he had put him in too much danger, dealt to much damage. But how could he do it. The shuttles kept ferrying between the earth and the ship. That's our way in. But the sound, and Jumba's computer had the map he needed to infiltrate the ship. He would do it alone. He sat up, the spiky porcupine- like experiment yawned.

"Must be boring having to guard me," He looked at him suspiciously, his eyes not trusting the calm voice. "I know that look… The evil experiment, the ruination of families. You were there in the tent when everyone found out. Oh… I'm so ashamed, sometimes don't you wish you could go back in time and do it again." Spike was listening he sounded depressed, pathetic, almost apologetic. Could he really be as evil as they say? "I've hurt so many people, Lilo, Stitch… Sparky. Even you um…"

"Spike, they call me Spike," He was listening closely now, his voice was enticing.

"Yes I hurt you too Spike, it is my fault, I wish I could change what I did."

"But you don't work for Hamsterviel right?"

"No I never did, he was my creator though, I trusted him and he betrayed me." It sounded right, he didn't work for Hamsterviel, Spike knew it was true, he was there with Fibber. So what why did he do the things he did? Because he didn't know any better. Because Hamsterviel tricked him. He was evil, not him.

"My name is Trilby, I… I am sorry for what I've done." To Spike it was the most sincere apology he had ever heard.

"Um… Spike… What's it like to be in a family that cares for you?" The question burned in Spike's mind for a moment. He was responsible for his family's fall. Yet… It was Hamsterviel's fault… He didn't know any better. The distrust melted, Spike saw Trilby as misunderstood, afraid, and very sorry.

"Having someone care about you, I have lots of people who care about me, and I care about them. That is what a family is, caring about others. You can only get so far alone, my family is the most important thing. They gave me a purpose when I thought I had none. Well that's not true exactly, I was… Quite destructive before Lilo and Stitch found me and turned me good. It's like they say, 'Ohana means family, no one gets left behind or forgotten'." Trilby had meant to get him talking. It was important that Trilby knew how he talked and his mannerisms. But he felt he would push it.

"That family thing you said, did it apply to Sparky?"

"Oh… That… Well…" He struggled against the irony of what he had said. No one truly knew how Sparky had felt since Lilo and Stitch had that job. Were they really a good family. Really someone should have checked on Sparky, visited him. But they hadn't. He had lectured him on family and he didn't listen to his own words. They weren't a good family, were they? Trilby picked up on the realisation, he pushed harder.

"When I met Sparky he was very unhappy, was that my fault? Was it me who drove your family apart, really? Did I send him away, did I make him do what he did? I'm thinking, no." He was right Spike knew it. They had driven Sparky away, they had driven their family apart. It was his fault. Not Trilby's.

"We… I didn't…"

"Really? You had no idea, did no one notice anything off? Anything different?" The lighthouse had kept growing brighter and dimming. He passed it off as Sparky playing about. "There was something off about Sparky, wasn't there? Did you ever check? EVER?"

Spike listened with growing horror. He did it. It was him. He had just told him about families caring for one another, when after all it was his fault. He was responsible. He got the sudden urge to cry, shout and curl into a ball simultaneously. Trilby was right. He was wrong. It was his fault. Not Trilby's. Trilby witnessed the breakdown with inexplicable satisfaction- his purpose.

"We can fix it, Spike. We can right your wrong. You know we can- together- me and you. We can take down Hamsterviel. Sparky will be happy once more, your family, all back together and happy. We can do it." He lowered into an mock- unhappy whisper." All you have to do… Is open the cage. Then we can right this wrong."

Trilby was right. He could fix this, Spike opened the cage. Spike lent close. Trilby leapt toward him. They tumbled to the floor. Trilby felt one of his spines stab his fur. No pain but his ovals began to fill, dark blue. The fur rustled as it changed colour. Spike was scared at the morphing experiment on top of him. He sent spikes but they bounced right off him. No effect. No dopey effects transpired. Instead Trilby- now Spike. Gave Spike a spike of his own. His tongue rolled out and his eyes crossed. The effects of the Spike sending his brain down several levels. He would be fine.

"Sorry friend. It was for your own good I promise."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Trilby felt bad for Spike. He was scared and he had used it. He was in Spike's body, he knew someone would catch on when they found him missing and Spike asleep. He needed to leave before then. The sun was setting. Darkness, good. He carefully ducked behind Jumba's tent, he was bent over some sort of headset. As Spike he had nothing to fear. He looked round the tent flap, making noise. Jumba turned.

"Ah, experiment 319, what is matter?" Jumba seemed happy and carefree, Trilby knew he wasn't he was tired and frustrated. His baggy eyes and furrowed brow gave it away. Trilby was actually impressed he could come across as carefree at all. Trilby took a breath. He had listened to Spike talk. Thus he tried to mimic him as best he could. He tried to imitate every mannerism and move he made. His voice had already adapted to be the same as Spike's.

"I was guarding Trilby. He told me that there was a map of Hamsterviel's ship on your computer. He told me he hacked into the system."

"Is that so 319? Let me check." He turned to his computer and pressed a few keys. A map appeared on the screen. "Well, well he leaned back on his seat. I was very busy I didn't check. Thank you 319. Oh… Here," He stood carrying the headset he knelt beside him placing the headset on his head. He adjusted it to fit his head exactly. Jumba's voice became a lot more electronic. Is headset to block out the sonic wave. Stop you getting angry again."

"Thank you,"

"No problem, 319, what do you think of 629?"

"He is unhappy."

"I know I was too harsh I think. He didn't mean to do things he did I know that. He followed his programming. Just like how you followed yours when you were activated. It is shame. We can't free him he is too dangerous right now. He could break what remains of this family with a sweep of his hand. Also, between me and you 319. He wasn't made by Hamsterviel. He was made by another evil genius like Jumba, but this one is most evil genius, I recognised his handwriting on 629's blueprints. He is called…" A man's cry came from outside, a bloodcurdling cry of terror, Trilby rolled his eyes. The timing was impeccable he wanted to know his creator.

"Hide 319! Could be Hamsterviel. He grabbed his rifle jumping through the tent flap. Trilby noticed the computer by itself. He took the opportunity, closed it and grabbed it in his teeth, he saw a box filled with the headsets he had on. He grabbed a couple in case his broke- no taking any chances. He leapt through the opposite flap. The shout grew louder. The night air brought the smell of food- it was tempting but he was resolved once more, the winds a perfidious omen .He dodged through tents, pegs people, he turned a corner crashing into Pleakly.

"Oh… Spike, I'm sorry." They were both on the floor the computer landed a metre from him." I heard shouting, you should hide it could be Hamsterviel." Pleakly stood brushing himself off. He looked toward the computer."Um… Spike… What are you doing with Jumba's computer, I Think he needs it." Trilby began to think, he hadn't caught up yet.

"Pleakly, I was taking that somewhere safe, Jumba told me too."

"Oh, Ok playing it safe is he?"

"Yes, can I have it back now."

"I think I can take care of it now, you find someplace to hide." This was clearly going to be a problem.

"Pleakly Jumba told me to take care of it, so please."

"This isn't like you Spike, and when did you learn to speak English? Wait…" He was looking at him closer. The oval outlines on his arms and head, the same colour as the fur- not very clear but if you look closely enough.

"Tril…" Trilby had spiked him. It was too dangerous. He knew it would make him look more evil, but it was necessary. He would apologize later. But now… Trilby grabbed the computer running off into the forest, toward the remains of Kauai.

Sparky and Nosey were carrying the delusional Spike to Jumba's tent.

"What do you think he's doing now."

"I told you he is probably running so he doesn't damage our family anymore."

"Spiking Spike doesn't count I suppose."

"Collateral. I promise he is a good guy."

"Well where will he go now."

"Out of the camp, I don't know what he will do there though. He can't be far though."

"Why don't you fly up and see if you can see him?"

"Good idea." Nosey took the weight of Spike. Sparky leapt into the air, the winds caught in his fur. It felt good to be flying again. He looked around there was no sign of him. But in the darkness, he ould not see much or far.

"Can you see him."

"No," Suddenly a shout. Loud and piercing. Sparky looked for the source. A man was standing pointing at him. He had a bald head, and a pair of sunglasses with the lenses popped screamed

"BIG… YELLOW… RAT…" All eyes in a mile radius heard the scream and eyes were drawn to the sparking figure in the sky. Sparky recognised him. "I think we should go Nosey,"

"Who is it,"

"An old friend," Sparky flew to the ground, grabbing Spike they ran through a few tents. But people had recognised the' yellow bolt'. The one who destroyed the town. They split up, Nosey head toward Jumba's tent with Spike. Sparky flew into the sky. Zap was high up watching the mob below.

"Zap! Can you do me a favour." He nodded.

"Great can you distract the crowds." another nod. Zap flew over the heads of the people drawing their attention. They chased him, threw rocks. None of which hit. He was too fast. Sparky alighted on the ground close to Jumba's tent. Zap had flown off into the sky to wait out the trouble. Sparky walked into the tent.

"221! " Jumba was looking annoyed. Nosey was sitting on the bed next to Spike who was lying on the bed. "It was Trilby, Some evil genius I am. Ha!"

" Jumba what's going on?"

"Your friend escaped, he changed into Spike, I gave him a headset and he stole my computer."

"Wow, he is good,"

"Good at deceiving. Yes is what he is designed for. Anyway he stole my computer. It had map of Hamsterviel's ship on it he told me so."

"You don't suppose…"

"That he would go onto that ship… I don't know 221. I cannot tell what he will do, he is too cunning, too deceiving."

"I think he has, he is going to fix his mistake."

"How could 221 know? He is confusing and tricky experiment. He tricked you as well."

"I know, but he is my brother and I believe in him, I trust him and he trusts me, it doesn't matter what he does he will always be my family."

"I thought we were your family 221," He sounded worried at the notion. That their broken family be broken more.

"You are, but I have two now." Jumba looked at Nosey.

"It's crazy but at least we have the old Sparky back." Jumba couldn't deny this. Sparky was motivated now. He was happy. The boredom was gone the voice in his head, was hidden from sight and mind. He was as he had been before it had started.

"Very well 221, I suppose I did see it coming."

"What does that mean?"

"I put tracker in 629 when he asleep." He reached into a drawer at his desk, he took out another computer. I also built another computer- Just in case.

"Tell me where he is Jumba." The computer booted up.

"He is going to destroyed town, I wonder why."

"I'll find out when I get there." He was about to leave.

"Hold on 221, You are energetic again no? Here." He gave a headset to him. He fitted one on the three experiments. "Stop you getting angry at noise," said Jumba's ,now, electronic voice. "We will need help if we want to go onto the ship."

"We will need all the help we can get. Nosey stay here try and get help,"

"You got it buddy."

"Jumba we will need a lot of those."

"On it 221." Was this a plan? Trilby had definitely rubbed off on Sparky. With that thought he flew through out of the tent. Into the night and toward the destroyed town. The wind caught in his fur, whipping across his face, his antenna sparked with the elation of the night and anticipation of the confrontation, the cool abrasive feeling. The stars and moon were blocked by the huge ship. He would open the night sky. He would bring it crashing down. He felt better than ever. He felt powerful, he had a responsibility to help his little brother, and all his cousins.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Trilby ran through trees and brush. Smoke rose above the canopy, the scar on the earth where Kauai had once been, 626 experiments in one town. It never stood a chance. The air became thick, cloudy. Spike was faster than he let on. He had tied the headsets to his fur, the computer lodged in his mouth. It occurred to him that Spike was hardly equipped for infiltration. Spikes were well and good but he was quite big and stood out. He needed help, or at least another body. But many of the experiments in the camp were not equipped for it either- except Sparky, he could really use Sparky now. But he is probably in the middle of hating me right now, that would any sane reaction to what I did, he thought. But where would he find, experiments with useful powers willing to break onto a ship with high tech security and hundreds of henchman. It didn't help that there were no experiments left in sight of the town. He broke through the trees into the smoking corpse of the town. No experiments to be seen. He walked through the rubble, but there were no experiments anywhere.

"Hamsterviel couldn't have got them all," There was silence after that statement. He was about to leave, when something caught his eye. He bent down picking up a cracked ice cream cone. He was in that shop. He looked up, the freezer, the metal exterior had held against the onslaught of experiments, and beyond any reason had remained locked. It was the last standing building. Hence it stood to reason that inside…

He reached for the lock, it was a big one. He stopped the sound of his breathing was loud, what would he say? He was Spike, but from what he had seen Spike didn't come across as the 'get up and go' type. Regardless, he needed help and a living ice machine could be used a number of ways. He opened the door.

From the freezer jumped Slushy. As soon as the door opened he was on Spike- Trilby.

"Spike, thank you, I've been trapped in there for days, I fought this spy, then woke up in here." He looked around, "What happened to the town? Where is everybody? Lilo? Stitch?" Trilby was trying to recover from the choke-hold Slushy had on him.

"Please… Slushy… Stop…"

"Oh sorry," He jumped off.

"Slushy, I'm sorry but…" He went into a pathetic voice," Ha… Hamsterviel got Lilo and Stitch."

"Oh no!" He put his hand over his mouth in a dramatic episode.

"Yes, I want to get them back, but, you see, I don't know how."

"Spike I'm sure we'll find a way, and we're both Ok so that's good, right?"

"You're right, thank you Slushy." That's one down, he thought. "I'm looking for experiments, can you help me?"

"Ok Spike but you better explain everything to me, what happened?"

Spike- Trilby and Slushy moved out of the town looking out for experiments. Trilby explained roughly what had happened, but he left out anything that would reveal his identity. If Slushy knew who he really was- the person who had almost melted him and locked him in a freezer- he would be less sympathetic. Trilby felt if he had enough experiments he wouldn't have to reveal himself, simply mastermind it. After all, he could only change once an hour. He gave Slushy a headset.

Behind them in the town, Sparky was looking around frantically for Trilby. Or rather Spike, since he was most probably still in his body. Suddenly a voice in his head. Oh no, he thought. But it was Jumba.

"221, you are in town, 629 is leaving toward beach. Follow quick." Headsets more than just sound blocking. He took off in the direction of the beach.

"Jumba, do you know where Trilby came from?" There was roughly a minute of silence as he flew toward the beach, then.

"Yes, 221,"

"Hamsterviel didn't build him did he?"

"No,"

"I saw the blueprints too, ominous right?"

"I cannot say now, but I know this scientist, and if he is involved it's trouble- big trouble- it also explains how Hamsterviel knew about the sonic wave, I thought only I knew about it."

"First things first," Sparky had spotted Spike on the shoreline staring out toward an island. The island he recognised as the one Ying and Yang had been building- he had watched them from the lighthouse. Trilby wanted to enlist them- he guessed. Then he noticed Slushy next to him. He was collecting experiments to help him. Now he had one more.

"You say that Ying and Yang are over on that island right?" Trilby asked, it was a long way away.

"Sure are." Slushy was excited, the whole prospect of breaking onto the ship appealed to him, partly through his family loyalty, and partly because unlike every other experiment he hadn't actually been able to destroy anything as was looking forward to it.

"Can you freeze the water to make a path over?"

"I could but it's salt water, ice and salt don't mix, unless it's sea salt ice- cream, then it does mix, trust me I should know," For a small guy he did talk a lot, Trilby thought. But he felt a slight tingling in the air, electricity. He turned. Sparky was leaning against a tree, he was grinning. Classic cliché entrance. Weirdly, inexplicably Trilby wasn't surprised in the slightest, his brain said he should be, but he wasn't. Sparky should hate him now, and he should be surprised he wasn't. Considering all the things that had happened over the past few days. It didn't make sense, and yet it was the most understandable experience. They stared at each other, trying to figure the others motivation out. Slushy looked between the two, what was going on? Why were they standing looking at each other?

"Sparky!" Slushy leapt toward him," How are you?"

"Good, Slushy, What are you and… Spike here doing?"

"Well we're trying to get unto that big ship, but first we need help from Ying and Yang over on that island, but we can't get there, because…"

"I get it Slushy, Spike you need me to fly over there and tell them?" Trilby was still mid- recovery,

"… What?… Oh yeah, tell them, I'm guessing they create land with lava and water,"

"They don't make land that fast you know. They can bridge the gap in about a week."

"They won't have to. I'm thinking they only need to coat… Yeah, Slushy here will make a bridge over to the island, Ying and Yang create land on top of it. It solidifies and we have a strong bridge… For about 10 minutes."

"Enough time?"

"Should be,"

"On it," Sparky took off toward the island, it was roughly 100 metres away.

"Spike I didn't know you were big on planning," He was looking at him differently, trying to figure out what had changed. Trilby stopped planning for a second to hear it, he needed to keep appearances for a short while at least.

"Oh… I uh… Read some books," It was a weak reason,

"Even less like you," Slushy squinted he was looking harder,

"Hey!" Trilby grinned, "Just because I make people stupid doesn't mean I have to be too,"

Slushy smiled. But, he clearly sensed something was off about his cousin Spike. Maybe I should have spent more time listening to him, Trilby thought. Syntax might be a bit off. Nevertheless, deception was a subtle art. Any weird behaviour can be passed off surprisingly easily. He let the joke drain from his face noticeably he became more pained, he looked down.

"I'm… Just trying to do something," His voice was layered with loss, with an angry undertone,

"What does that mean?" Slushy noticed the change,

"Well… I… uh saw Yarp getting captured. I was so scared I just sat and watched, I watched him get taken and… I could have stood and spiked him… But I didn't… I'm just trying to do what's right." He sighed, convincingly. Watching a family member getting taken has got to be scarring, and sympathy inducing.

"I'm sorry, I trust you really Spike, I was stuck in a freezer while it happened so… I don't know… I still haven't got to grips with it yet."

"Hey, Hey we'll get them back, that's why we're here," Trilby changed his voice to resolved,

"Yeah you're right- let's do this Spike!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" He trusts me now Trilby smiled, it was almost too easy. The experiments trust their family way too much, even when they act completely weirdly. Trilby didn't quite understand the tenets of being in a family. The way Spike had described it wasn't right. It wasn't that simple. The simple act Sparky had done, turning round and forgiving him in the face of facts baffled him. He did consider them to be brothers, even though it was unfounded and illogical. The illegitimacy somehow didn't change how they felt. It was deeper than mere fact. Was that part of being a family too? It annoyed Trilby more than anything, he dealt with things in absolutes and the definition of family kept changing the more he learnt about it. Why can't it have a set definition? Regardless, he needed to keep the new experiments in the dark- especially Slushy. Slushy probably wouldn't take kindly to being ordered around by someone who locked him in a freezer for a day.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Sparky alighted on the island. Yin and Yang had built it by using their powers, lava and water. As it was, the land was black and lifeless. Not enough time had passed for the ground to become fertile, hence the island resembled some kind of hellish apocalypse. Inevitably, the sonic wave had reached the island. The blackened ground, was furrowed and uneven, difficult to walk on, especially for small feet. In the furrowed black rock lay pools of glowing lava, parallel pools of water adorned the ground likewise. It was a small island, roughly 50 metres across and circular. It was the product of weeks, building the foundation of the island deep within the ocean. Truly, it was a marvellous structure. Sparky did not have time for such menial adoration. Rather out of place with the scenery, was the cabin they had erected- rather haphazardly- atop the black rock. Its existence was now questionable. The splintered remains of the cabin, were now scattered over the island. Among the ruins, Yin and Yang sat, backs to each other. Their faces bore scowls, deep furrowed brows, testament to some battle they had fought without for- knowledge. Sparky guessed what had happened instantly. The noise sent them berserk, on such a small island they had only the cabin and each other to destroy, and it seemed they had fought each other. Yin bore scorch marks, Yang was drenched.

"Yin! Yang!" He waved. They both looked over, he smiled at them. They perked up at the sound of his voice.

"Sparky!" They said simultaneously. They looked at each other dubiously.

"If I had to guess… I'd say you two had a fight." Yang stood shaking himself, water sprayed over Sparky.

"We were working on the island, when suddenly this loud noise came. Then Yin attacked me." He threw a poisonous look over to where he sat.

"You attacked me!" Yin was wetting the scorch marks, trying to cool them.

"Guys! It wasn't either of you. That noise," He pointed to the mountain." Was part of a plan by Hamsterviel to capture all of the experiments. You are part of a few experiments who haven't been taken." They seemed shocked by the news. Speechless, they looked around wildly. "We need your help, guys. Me, Slushy, Tri… Spike are trying to break onto that ship." He pointed to the sky. They acted like they had seen it for the first time. "Will you help us?"

They looked at each other. They said nothing but mentally they forgave each other, the unspoken bond. Out of every experiment, these two were the closest thing to brothers. No, they were brothers. The way they looked at each other, with trust, belief and love. The way they forgave each other in an instant. They had fought, angered each other, but was detrimental to the overall relationship, brotherhood they shared. The silent belief, mirrored in their faces. Was the same him and Trilby had, when they had looked at each other. They were brothers, without for- knowledge, without true consent. They were brothers whether they wanted it or not.

"We will help as best we can. But how do we get over to the mainland?" Yang stood next to Sparky as they looked over to where the silhouette of Spike and Slushy were. Yin stood the other side. Sparky pressed a button on his headset. Sparky had linked his headset to Trilby's.

"Spike, I'm listening what's the plan." A minute passed as Trilby across the gap relayed his plan to him.

"Ok, listen close, Yin collect some water. Yang prepare to shoot. When I give the signal. Slushy will create an ice bridge across the water. You guys will have to be quick, Yang shoot lava onto the bridge, Yin you cool it quickly. We have a ten minute window before the ice interior melts and the land bridge completely deteriorates. Got that?" They looked at each other.

"Since when did Spike come up with plans as complicated as this?" Yin looked across the water suspiciously.

"Yeah, he was always kinda'… Lazy." He too looked suspiciously at the Spike shaped shadow. Sparky looked at Trilby too. What would he say now?

"He…uh… Read some books," He said it quickly and with a monotone. They both turned to look at him suspiciously. They folded their arms; The awkward silence lingered for another ten seconds.

"Sparky, what are you not telling us?"

"We can see right through you."

He sighed, he would need lessons from Trilby, about lying, after this was all over.

"Ok, Ok. Spike isn't actually Spike. He's a new experiment made by… Another scientist. He is designed to copy the appearances and powers of another experiment. His name is Trilby and he is MY new brother. He and I are planning to save all of my cousins from Hamsterviel." He said it all in one breath. A long silence followed this information. Then Yin and Yang looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Sparky, cousin, you are not the best liar." Yang nudged Sparky.

"Stick to what you're good at, destroying things." Yin put a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever you do, don't let him know I told you who he is. He's kinda in disguise at the moment. He's the only one who can come up with a good enough plan to save our family so play along, please." He stroked his antenna, he just gave away his brothers identity, they didn't know what he had done so they shouldn't mind too much, he reasoned.

"Don't worry Sparky, we won't say a word," They grinned,

"What do you mean by brother anyway?" At that moment Trilby's voice echoed in his head.

"Bro, what is taking so long?"

"Right guys, get ready I'll explain later Ok? I'll just say we are close, kinda like you two." The pair looked at each other. The idea apparently having not crossed their minds. However, the prospect dawned on them with tempting implications. Obviously, they liked the idea of being brothers.

"Yin, you ready, 'bro'."

"Ready when you are, 'bro'." Sparky rolled his eyes, he may have just started a craze. Lifting his antenna to full length he let out a bright spark, which illuminated the night as a star in a clear sky. The signal conveyed to the pair across the water. Where Trilby sought to retain Slushy's trust by describing the camp. When the spark appeared a dazzling display. Beautiful and radiant, Slushy jumped to attention- he didn't have fur but if he did it would bristle with anticipation. He was excited. Pretty exuberance clung to all their minds. The dazzling inspiration. Duty to family, the resounding resolution, the call to arms- the warrior song. the unspoken cause to which the team of genetic mutations adhered to. The cause was just, resolve a powerful dictator. The night was calm, the sea a restless cacophony, the wind silent and still. Yet a maelstrom, insurmountable, indefatigable raged in the minds of the team. They would save their family, and the light grew brighter heralding the team's creation. Slushy leapt into the air. Just beneath him the water rolled. It solidified upon his touch, the icy touch. He let himself be carried by the incline the water freezing as he approached the island. He reached it leaping to the island. Yang sprayed boiling lava onto the ice bridge. The ice burst into to steam but cooled the lava enough that it solidified. It was cracked and had no foundation and would not last long.

"Now guys!" Sparky yelled the command leaping to the bridge. The rest of them followed. The weight cracked the bridge but it held. They reached the side where Trilby sat admiring the success of his plan. Step one, he thought. He still had a lot more to do. He greeted the new pair as they climbed onto the shore.

"Hello, Yin Yang, you aren't looking so good." He copied Spike's mannerisms in a hopes to fool them into thinking he was the real Spike. Their reaction, however, was not one he had been expecting.

"Hi, me and Yin had a little fight we're fine now though. How are 'you' though ,' Spike'." Yang didn't blink while he said this. Something was up. Too much emphasis on 'you' and, 'Spike'. Trilby could read situations better than most, and this was not how these people spoke to their family. They knew who he really was, they must or they wouldn't act like that. He scowled at Sparky who was trying to look innocent. He told them! He must have a word to Sparky about secrecy. He had one job! Meanwhile, Slushy was almost bouncing with excitement.

"That was so cool! Who knew you were so good with plans eh Spike?" Yin and Yang grinned at each other. Then at Trilby, they weren't being the least bit subtle about it either. Sparky was face palming as Trilby continued give him an intimidating stare. It was a skill, to keep a calm, carefree face and still look intimidating.

"Me and Yin, always knew Spike was great with plans." They kept grinning at him, Yin was actually trying to suppress laughter. Trilby turned his gaze on them.

"Yes, and I've got a lot more plans, most them are 'secret'," He grinned right back at them, winking as he said 'secret'. It was important that Slushy not find out who he is, and if these two didn't get the message his plan could go wrong. They seemed to understand though.

"Don't we have cousins to save, right Spike?" They weren't grinning or deliberately trying to antagonize him any more.

"That's right, let's not waste any more time," he threw the pair headsets. Opening Jumba's computer he opened the map of the ship. Apparently, they had rebooted the system he could no longer control any ship functions. But he still had the map. "If you press that button, we can talk over the headsets, whatever you do don't take them off. They will most likely target the headsets. If they break you are knocked out, you can't let it happen. We will move to the shuttle site. We take out the guards and hijack the shuttle. The main goal is to get the ship onto the ground, and disable the sonic wave. Then, and only then, can we save 'our' cousins." He sent a sharp look at Yin and Yang as he said 'our'. "We use the vents to our advantage, no doubt they will lock the vents once we board the ship. Hence, you four need to travel to this control panel, Sparky can activate it. Open all the vents. I will help you from the shuttle bay,"

"Why are you staying in the shuttle bay." Slushy asked,

"I would just slow you down, honestly, I can watch you from Jumba's computer, hold on," He lifted his hand and smacked himself on the back of his head, quite hard. They looked shocked at the self harm.

"What are you doing?!" They shouted, a small lense floated from his eye.

"Aha!" I guessed it, he bent down and picked the lense up. It was small and translucent. "Yin wash this please," He poured water onto the lense.

"What is that?" He said.

"Optical tracking lense." I'm guessing Jumba put it in. Sparky nodded, "Sparky could you take this?"

"Sure," Trilby went up to his brother, opening his big blue eye, he slotted it in. Sparky leant close and whispered," What are you plotting?" Trilby winked in return. He knew him well.

He backed off. "I can watch you through Sparky's eye, I can help you, and it's much easier if I am not moving when I'm helping you, Ok?"

They all nodded simultaneously,

"Will you be OK Spike on your own?"

"Slushy, I will a lot safer than you once we are on that ship," He winked at him encouragingly.

"I think we should listen to him Slushy, his plans have worked so far," Yang nudged him,

"All one of his plans, I can still worry you know."

"I'll be fine, Slushy, trust me," He smiled at them, A team of misfit experiments breaking onto a huge ship with a thousand henchman waiting for them. Suicidal, but he knew what he had to do.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The night grew colder, abrasive winds picked at the team, but they were resolved, inspired. Trilby, still in Spike's guise, led the way to one of the many shuttle launch sites. In the centre of the clearing the shuttle lay open and ready for launch. Several guards, aliens in white armoured suits. They looked intimidating, hulking figures clad in white the black visor glinting with malicious intent. These mercenaries, were getting paid a lot. They brandished large weapons, with many clips barrels and sights that were probably more for show than battle. Despite the intended threatening nature all of them seemed to be disinterested, or distracted. They heard yawns and wearied voices, the clogging fatigue that seemed to hang over the site.

"Easy pickings, I bet Hamsterviel has barely given them an hour's rest." Trilby noted, the team had perched themselves in a bush looking through the cracks. The site was clearing, a futuristic array of gadgets were laid upon an equally futuristic table. Different aliens poked at them, they had goggles and screwdriver shaped devices instead of the henchman styled guns. They looked equally as tired.

"The Techy's," He pointed, 'Technicals' was a name given to the field mechanic's in the galactic federation, they normally followed land forces, to fix and repair broken pieces of technical equipment, compared to the guards they were puny. " Sparky, I want you circle round and take them out, they aren't wearing non- conductive clothing. The 'Technicals' carry long range communicators, don't let them contact Hamsterviel and get one of them for me." He nodded and Sparky rustled as quietly as possible to the opposite end of the clearing, closest to the 'Technicals'. "That only leaves the guards, I see five round the perimeter, Yin I want you to simply get them wet. Slushy once they are wet you freeze the water. Their suits will freeze up, they won't be able to move. Yang destroy the weapons. Got it?" They all nodded, Yin and Yang looked confident they drew back ready to pounce. Slushy was much more restless, he was physically restraining himself from jumping into the fray. "Wait for my signal, I need to see Sparky." He appeared at the other end of the clearing, he gave a little wave.

"Now!" He shouted, the experiments leapt from the bushes. The guards, who were virtually asleep on their feet were so startled by the sudden ambush, a few of them dropped their weapons. They barely had time to bend down before they were drenched by concentrated stream of water. They toppled under the pressure. Before they could recover, they were frozen in position, stuck in awkward positions. The guards who hadn't dropped their guns found they were melting in their hands. The weapons disintegrated into liquid form, it trickled through their fingers of the heatproof suits. For the guards, it might have been like a sledgehammer to the head. But for the technicals it was like the sky falling on their head. Sparky leapt from his bush. His antenna connected with the chest of the first alien. He was sent flying straight out of the clearing, itself through several bushes. The other had grabbed a communicator, and had started slapping it violently. Sparky turned on him his antenna buzzed him into a tree. Sparky jumped and caught the communicator as it fell. A voice came from the other end,

"Yes, Glucknach 157 what is the problem." A very gravelly voice, it sounded board. Sparky rushed to Trilby waving the communicator in his face. The experiments went deathly still save for Trilby who grabbed the communicator. He held it away as he whispered,

"What race is that Technical?"

Sparky flashed in a second to the slumped body, and back to Trilby.

"Gerronan," He whispered,

"Hello? Glucknakh 157? You called is there a problem?" His voice seemed to gain interest with every second. Gerronan. Trilby ran the name through his mental storage. The Geronnan are small, high pitched, often make a slurping sound. They had distinctively slimy voices. Disgusting anatomy he thought. He raised the communicator to his mouth. He loosened his voice going high pitched and slippery.

"Yes sir… Slurp*… We do have a problem… Slurp*… One of our guards… Slurp* idiot mercenary dropped his blaster. Shot himself in the Slurp* foot."

"Ahh that old story, I bet he did it to get some sleep, between me and you, big boss man… uhhh Hamster is dense. Since he got that 626 thing or somethin'. I almost want someone to sneak in and shut his face up." He chuckled the gravelly voice grating the voice receiver.

"Be careful what you Slurp* wish for, anyway we need to Slurp* shuttle back up."

"Roger that Gluchnakh 157," He closed the call with a satisfied smile. In his normal voice.

"He bought it, get on the shuttle. Sparky destroy the rest of the communicators would you? Great job guys, really. Yin how much water do you have left?" Yin had to collect water before he could use it.

"80% I should have topped up over at the shore."

"Should have, Sparky how much power?" He called,

"Barely used any, about 97%"

"Yang what about you?" Yang was limited by how much rock he had digested. Yang would eat rock, his anatomy would superheat it to melting levels. It would then store in the cannon- like humps.

"I'm good still about 80%," He was chewing on a large rock as he boarded the shuttle. Trilby was impressed with Jumba's insight. Points to Jumba for giving his experiments instinctive knowledge on how much power he or she had at any time.

"I'd ask you Slushy, but you don't have a limit do you?" He laughed,

"You know me well, Spike. As long as there is water in the air, I can freeze it." Clever. Slushy uses the water vapour already in the air to create ice, stands to reason that as long as there is air there is water, and by extension ice.

"Let's get moving." He climbed aboard the ship. He carried the communicator and Jumba's computer. The others filed on and Trilby hit the launch command. It took off without a hitch.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The shuttle was slow, and silent as it rose toward the ship. Perhaps the speed was a result of the tension that seemed to hang over the team. There were two rooms, the cargo hold, and the bridge. Not much, a large window above a single screen, it barely had three buttons. Foolproof. Trilby sat watching out the front. The others sat on low benches, white walls plain and simple, the only door was the big one at the back of the cargo hold. White was a recurring theme, a ubiquitous colour, seemed to colour the irony. The contrast between the walls and the experiments, Yellow, red, two light blue and one dark. There was silence but they seemed to share a thought, purpose and resolve. The only simple difference between them. Was the way they saw it being achieved.

The ship above them seemed to swallow the shuttle. The huge monster devouring the fly. The cargo bay was large, it was similar to the one they had entered through before, save for the debris. Where there had been capsules and cages there was empty space. That was bad sign.

"Get ready," Trilby whispered, leaning through the door between the two rooms, they crouched ready to pounce like colourful cats. Peeking through the window in front, Trilby counted 8 guards. None of them looked particularly interested. They would be soon. They were all different sizes. Some were big some were small, different alien races no doubt. All dressed in the classic white, they were bulky, strong. In the wide open space of the bay there would be no subtlety. He relayed his observations with the experiments in the cargo hold.

"Soooooo we just jump out and hope for the best," Slushy said sarcastically. Trilby smiled, what a sense of humour at a time like this.

"No, Slushy I want you to do the same thing you did last time, freeze them once they are wet." He looked at Yin who nodded. "Good, you know the drill." When you take out the guards the alarm will be raised. You need to get to the laboratory with the ship- wide controls, I will guide you from here."

There was a knocking at the door, at the back of the cargo hold. Then a distinctively slimy voice.

"Hello? *Slurp… anyone in there?"

"Ok time to shine, save your cousins." With that he hit the open command in the front. The door lowered to reveal a small guard in white. When he saw the group he stood deathly still. He wiped his visor.

"Oh…" Yang hit him in the face with a ball of lava. The force of the hit sending into the wall. Yin and Slushy leapt out the shuttle. In their way stood 7 other bulky guards.

"Sparky the guns," he flew at unrivalled speed from gun to gun, frying the interior. Yin proceeded to soak the guards while Slushy froze them. Red lights began to circle above them. The large circualr door command turned red. Trilby sat in the cargo hold of the shuttle, he closed the door. Over the headsets he said.

"That is the alarm, they are probably playing that sonic wave as well. Don't touch your headset. Yang melt that locked door." So he did. With explosive glee. A large ball, compact and superheated. Collided with the door. It melted leaving liquefied idiorite; alien metal with the texture of plastic and the strength of steel, in its wake. Slushy cooled the bubbling metal before leaping through the hole in the door. All down the hall red lights flashed, the white walls appeared a lot more intimidating with its red hue. Guards rushed from all sides. The corridors were a complex of straight lines leading into each other. From every opening, every junction in the corridor rushed guards of every mentionable shape and size. They were disorganized however, they pushed they shoved, each one vying to be the one to catch the experiments. The experiments themselves were rushing down corridors, turning into identical looking corridors. Turning and turning, almost in circles. They were small agile, they rushed past door after door. Most doors were red- the locked symbol. Some were green and regurgitating soldiers. The sporadic changes, the meandering pathways served to the experiment's advantage. Trilby's voice, the guardian angel guiding the team through the mess of corridors. Trilby tried to outsmart the mercenaries by constantly changing their path and it worked for the most part. Yang took the lead, taking out the stray guards, who lay in their path. Trilby continued to guide them through the hellish red corridors to an impressively large red door.

"That door is the laboratory you need to enter. Yang, if you please," The door was molecules in seconds. "You will have to be quick now, Sparky get inside the massive supercomputer at the far end of the laboratory. Try and bypass the firewalls and look for the password to the ships internal mainframe. Yin, yang and Slushy slow down everyone else. Once we have the password we can escape the laboratory using the vents." The laboratory was huge 100 metres wall to wall and had every manner of vile liquid and noxious fume, tables organized in such a way that you could easily get lost in the sprawling mass. Bottles of toxic bubbling liquid were perched precariously on work stations, that were themselves covered in similar liquids that seemed to be sentient, bubbling, fuming flowing in impossible ways. Sparky upended countless questionable substances upon tables, floors and the unfortunate inhabitants of the room. Small aliens, clad in flowing grey hazmat suits of some kind, large gas tanks and masks enveloped their faces and goggles that seemed complicated enough to program NASA. Sparky paid them no attention as he passed them by. They cowered behind their work stations like rabbits to a fox. It was clear what supercomputer Trilby was referring to. Factoring in the coolant that was linked to the computer with complicated pipes: It took up a large chunk of the rooms space, which was likely the reason the other end was so convoluted with equipment. Sparky, hovered for a second in front of the main panel. It was magnificent. Sparky was built to short circuit equipment and to him this was like a huge lollipop. He allowed himself to savour the implication before diving into the panel. He felt the headset slip off his head: He couldn't take objects into electrical equipment but he couldn't hear anything while inside. He hovered in the electrical limbo, around him wires like chains swarmed, flowed, code in long lines that seemed to have neither a beginning nor end. It was like swimming. A normal computer was like a puddle, but this monstrosity it was like an ocean. Chains swarmed in confusing convoluted patterns. He needed to find the chain that contained the password, and for that he needed to go deeper, past the firewalls. This was going to take a while.

Outside, the three remaining experiments were standing in the doorway trying to slow the onrush of fanatical mercenaries.

"Now listen, I have a plan to slow them down. Yin flood the corridors, give it everything you've got." Yin, who could contain gallons upon gallons at any one time emptied it out into the corridors. It flowed like a tidal wave down the corridors following the lines down junctions and corners. The guards were mildly inconvenienced by the wave itself but they were drenched by its volume. They laughed at its mild effect shrugging off the wave. Trilby didn't need to give the next order. Slushy bent low as the wave roared down the corridors. He lifted his hands rubbing them together. The air seemed to freeze over, the temperature dropping and dropping. Below 0, below -100, below that. He slapped the water then the clod spreading along the water tendrils. The water froze instantaneously. The cold followed the water, down corridors up the legs of guards and into the cracks in their armour. The soldiers, whom had been charging carelessly, recklessly down toward them was stopped, frozen in place in a second. They remained in that state, and remained. A delay of powerful proportions.

"That's it," Panted Yin, "I'm all out,"

"You've done great Yin, get to the computer and hold out, make a barricade and wait for Sparky to return. Yang cover the door from behind it." They leapt over tables and chairs, knocking over more glass that crashed spreading noxious liquid everywhere. It possibly would have burned the experiments were they not completely heatproof, save for Slushy, who rode on Yang's back, as he splashed through plasma, coolant, and many other indistinguishable forms of liquid. As they neared the supercomputer, a small alien leapt out from behind a table and swung at Yang with a spanner. He looked terrified, especially when Yang shrugged the hit off. He grinned maliciously showing his array of sharp teeth. The alien ran squealing away into the depths of the room.

"Amateur," They reached the computer and proceeded to empty tables of their contents. The floor became an even bigger mess. Liquids had started to flow into each other with dramatic reactions. Explosions resonated around the room. Large plumes of gas imploded rising to the ceiling to pool in large clouds. The room grew dark and smoky, they could barely see. Infrared sensors kicked in. Yang, being the only one with the ability to delay the enemy now, peeked over one of the tables. Big red outlines had started to appear at the door. He plugged his ears and fired. Boiling pools of lava collided with the door. The outlines seemed to scurry off, but they kept coming back. He fired again and again with mixed results. Several made it through the door and were crawling through the mess. Some were dispatched by violent chemical reactions on the floor as others fell to the rain of lava. Others slipped past, but not many, and not quickly. The delay was working, but it was just that- a delay. Where was Sparky? He has to finish soon or the people in the corridor will thaw, if they hadn't already. Then they would be trapped.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Sparky followed the electrical current, through wires, motherboards. He was searching. The password, he knew, would be stored on a storage chip deep in the computer. The problem was the computers size. So many storage chips, so many places to search. Sparky was in the midst of a high pressure situation, but still felt inexplicably calm. Being inside the computer was therapeutic, perhaps it was the ecstasy of being submerged in electricity, which he embodied. Or possibly the simplicity, regularity everything having a single purpose life was complicated in comparison. He passed chips analyzing the contents in seconds. He travelled at high speed along electrical pathways, but his mind wondered while in the peaceful twilight of the computer's internal functions. Time seemed to travel slower here. He was bathed in the electrical current, it called to every fibre of his body. He rapidly checked each storage ship for the password. But his mind was empty, pure. He was, at this time, a conscious collection of electricity. The conversion of matter into energy was complicated. He remembered Jumba's lecture, the one he had made to Sparky upon his creation. He allowed himself to replay his literal birthday in his head. The storage search now merely the product of his subconscious.

Jumba's laboratory was not particularly large, by Earth's standards. He had built it on a small asteroid, as if it somehow added to his devilish aesthetic. He certainly saw himself as more evil than he in actual fact, was. The laboratory however, in no way matched the scenery. It was embellished with devices, notes, papers, tools, even experiments. Before he invented the 'Dehydrator' they simply lounged around the laboratory. After the initial destructive phase, most experiments were civil. Of course, that resets when you Dehydrate them. He remembered being cocooned in a bright light, then inside a glass capsule, with all the destructive desire, trademarked by the experiment population. The great circular laboratory, lights flashed, screen blurred from subject to subject, the inexorable lines of code that stacked upon each other, and he was restless. Filled with one abject desire. Nevertheless, Jumba felt he should lecture his new experiments, as if everything they needed to know wasn't already programmed into there being.

"Welcome, 221, you are new experiment. You took long time to perfect but I have finally succeeded. Yes! You will be great! I have given you power over electricity, you will use it to destroy civilization, I expect you are restless, Yes?" He snarled, bashed the capsule walls, zapped at the air with inexplicable ferocity. First day of life and he only wanted to destroy. He had yet to form a personality. He wasn't 'Sparky' yet, he was experiment 221, nothing more. Everything he did was base, instinctive, and why wouldn't it be? It's the only thing he had in his mind, a single word, a single command. It was simple, one dimensional, but it was his one purpose, he had no other purpose. What was truly a mystery is why the experiments had a personalities. Surely Jumba knew giving a bomb a conscience could backfire, but as far as he could tell Jumba never meant for the experiments to have personalities, or even a conscience. Jumba didn't program one in. So how did he get one? He had no idea where his personality stemmed from. Was it evolution, adaptation, learning and experiencing? Perhaps a mixture? But, thinking back, he had learnt nothing. All the time he was owned by Jumba he was either destroying or waiting to destroy, and he was happy with how it was. Jumba would release him on some poor unresisting town, and he would ravage them. Thinking back he hadn't questioned his actions, he had relished the destruction, the pain he caused. How could that change so radically. It would be a lie to say he got it when he first met Lilo, she made him embrace it, but it was there- always there. This was the same for every experiment, he knew. He remembered a face then, he had seen it many times but never gave it much attention or mind space. Back in the laboratory, he had to wait for the time that Jumba would release them on the next planet. He had lounged with the other experiments, he would talk, joke even laugh. But the only topic of conversation was death and destruction. No way he got his morals from that. Jumba had had an assistant though, a small 'Hriktakht'. While Jumba was energetic, inspired, egotistical, competitive. He was calm and composed. He never showed any emotion, any feeling or interest. Jumba would carry on with his next experiment, day after day he would sit at a large computer and fill in paperwork. Legal documents, contracts, deals. He didn't speak, he didn't complain. In many ways, he was the same as any other Hriktakht. The Hriktakht are rare as alien races go. They were weak, susceptible to illness, intolerant by nature. They get by through sneaky dealings. The only time Sparky ever noticed him taking interest was when Jumba designed a new experiment. He would suggest he add or remove parts. Jumba, ever the egotist, didn't listen. He would pencil in only the ideas that he liked, all the ones he came up with. Nevertheless, during the night he would look over the blueprints changing parts. He continued to do it, every time Jumba came up with an experiment he would come and alter it. That is, until Jumba found out. After Jumba had finished his 626th experiment's blueprints, he woke up to find him changing them. An argument took place, waking the experiments in the now rather overcrowded experiment area. It was brief. Jumba shouted at him, claiming he was ruining his masterpieces, the other saying that he was making them real living creatures. Jumba threw him out in a rage. Fuelled by his anger he created his new experiment 626, he focussed on it donating huge portions of his time into getting it right. Unfortunately, he was so distracted that none of the legal paperwork got signed. The federation arrived, promptly they arrested him. Of course, Sparky was guessing that part, he himself, had been dehydrated just after he had kicked his assistant out. But what he had said, 'real living creatures', had it been him the whole time, had he been the one to give the experiments a conscience. His train of thought halted as he found the password. He was hidden in one of the larger storage chips in the base of the computer. He quickly memorized the code. Though he had very little concept of time while inside machines. Time seemed to travel slower, or maybe it was him merely him travelling faster. He was essentially pure electrical energy at that moment, hence it was entirely possible his brain functions had sped up. Nevertheless, he digressed a lot. Something about the instinctive baseness about being inside a machine, the attractive aroma of programmed existence. He flew as fast as possible to the surface of the machine, and into chaos.

The first thing Sparky noticed, was that he noticed nothing. He had emerged into a black cloud of haziness. Whereas being pure energy made him feel pure, emerging into this toxic cloud made him dizzy and incoherent. He tasted sulphur and felt a burning sensation at the back of his throat. An arm grabbed his leg pulling him to the floor.

"Sparky, do you know the password?" A very panicky voice, Slushy was gagging on a mouthful of the toxic gas.

"Yes," Another involuntary gulp of the black air sent him delirious for a second.

"Thank Jumba, I can't wait to get out of here!" Yin was bent with his face as close to the ground as physically possible.

"Great I am out of lava," Yang wasn't bothered by the gas, he virtually ate sulphur, rocks had a lot of it. His foot touched a metal object. The headset. He picked it up forcing it over his ears.

"Trilby the password is '6h2ti8u68g',"

" Great work Sparky, hold on," Sparky heard tapping, in that moment he received a sudden and powerful realisation. He gasped with shock.

"Oh… I was hoping you wouldn't notice," Trilby sounded apologetic,

"Notice what?" Slushy, Yin and Yang asked simultaneously sounding panicked.

Sparky knew. This was a big laboratory, potentially fatal poisonous gases. All the Techy's who worked here wore gas masks. It made sense. There were no vents. They didn't ventilate the room with poisonous gases. The gas would have killed any human, it hurt the experiments who were immune to most heat. They were sitting ducks. No escape. Sparky's infrared vision told him they were already almost upon them. Slowly the others caught on to the problem of their situation.

"It's Ok I we fight them off for as long as we can, we won't fall, we will save our cousins or die trying." Slushy was afraid but he was deadly serious. As were the other experiments. The cornered wolf look in their eyes.

"I'm sorry I used you, but I need this password. There was no way we could take this ship head on, there are thousands of soldiers, and you barely beat a tenth. I'm sorry, I really am, but it was the only way."

"But Spike-"

"Oh yeah, Slushy I'm not actually Spike, I'm Trilby- the spy who locked you in the freezer."

"But… I… You…"

"I deceived you all… Well just Slushy… I know, but please. I don't want you to get hurt, so I'm going to put you to sleep."

Sparky almost spontaneously got the message. He threw the headset off his head like a rock from a slingshot. The others were slower, and too slow. They slumped to the ground snoring before they hit the floor. The noise- of course- didn't block it on the inside. A large alien leapt at him from over the table barricade, but fell short. Only one path left to take now he thought, and leapt straight back into the computer.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Trilby tapped in the pass code. Instantly every feature imaginable appeared on the screen. He was resolved to save this family and if that meant losing a few members- temporarily- then so be it. His friends were resolved too, dangerously so, almost fanatical. He needed them whole if he wanted to get them off the ship. So there was no point in them fighting beyond any reason, sadly he knew they would. He was still sat in the hold of the shuttle. He had watched every move his friends made through Sparky's eye, now it showed the floor of the laboratory- no doubt it had also fallen off Sparky when he jumped into the computer. The screen flared with options, seemingly vying for attention. He imagined that were they sentient they would be calling 'pick me'. He shook his head with apprehension, it was unbecoming to let his mind wonder in the face of the situation. He heard Sparky gasp, shocked. He had noticed. Trilby had known there were no vents on the laboratory. That was a given. Regardless, he had played his friends and family. He chuckled silently. Heartless, he thought.

"Oh… I was hoping you wouldn't notice," Trilby opened the ships audio files. Lists of sound files appeared. Scrolling threw them, all of the files were professionally named, except for one. Just underneath,' garrison roll call' was a file named,' JUMBA'S BANE'. He rolled his eyes. Classic Hamsterviel, subtlety was not his strong point.

He began to apologize to his friends, it was necessary he told himself, regardless he felt that pinch of loss. Such cliché sentimentality. He would see them again, after all. Taking off his headset he turned up the sensitivity. He opened the sound file and played it very quietly. It would be loud on their end but nothing here. Nevertheless, he felt a twinge of anger deep within, wiping out the hesitation. He resisted, switching the sound off. They would be asleep now. But unharmed. That was the main thing. He turned off the cameras and motion sensors in the cargo bay. Opening the door, he leapt out. He knew where he needed to go and who he needed to see. The cargo bay was as obnoxiously bright as before. The guards were long gone, thawed out and chasing after his friends. The large empty room, the door was a disfigured mass. Better keep moving. Opening the vents he climbed into it. The map showed him the path he would have to take, the bridge awaited him. He walked through the vents. If he was careful he would not feature on any security footage. According to the feeds, he wasn't. He moved silently, though he could almost hear the tension, it was like it blew through the vents. He wasn't fazed by it, he thrived in tense situations. He was calm, he had his plan at the forefront of his mind. The prominent feature. He could take this ship down from the inside if he played his cards right. He reached his destination. He opened the security camera feeds for the room. The bridge, the main control centre. The bridge was supposed to be perfectly designed for maximum efficiency. It was a large cylindrical room- its dimensions were monumental to say the least. From wall to wall was roughly a kilometre, the same for the height of the room. Around the circumference cubicles were packed. They lined the circular floor, stacking cubicle upon cubicle in a tiered structure. From the floor to the ceiling, all around the edges of the room, were cubicles. Innumerable anti gravity lifts, hovered between these cubicles ferrying small, well read aliens. Only the best worked in this management area. They were responsible for their own section of the ship, they sent messages, orders, even the motivation. It was Each cubicle was responsible for controlling an area of the ship. They were also responsible for communicating with other areas of the ship. It was an essential practise. Each section of the ship had to work in harmony with every other part, otherwise there was no possible way this monster of a ship could function. In other words, without this room, the ship could not function and that was important. Naturally the security in this room was fittingly overdone. Large intimidating drones, packed with lasers and plasma rifles and all manner of weapon. These drones circled the room, scanning lights flicked through the cubicle windows, they sought to seek out and rectify any anomalies. Anomalies in this room included, more or less than two people in a cubicle, aside from the changeover times. Any slacking was not tolerated, a specific level of activity was essential. They were very thorough when it came to the management department of the ship, and why wouldn't they be? This part of the ship was what made it run, and it was the part that had to be shut down. Trilby noticed the place he needed to get to. The captain got his own cubicle in the centre of the room. It was a large and luxurious room. It contained screens and panels, like any other. Except there was no authorization codes. No limit to the control of the ship. He could do anything once he got in there. But he needed to get in there and unnoticed. The captains room automatically locks when there is an intruder. Hence it locked when they boarded the ship, hence Trilby's insistence to not be seen. It was open now though. The lights that surrounded the room were blue. Sign of being unlocked. Bathed in the hallowed light, the captain sat, the room was mostly see through with impenetrable 'hrictachian glass' an alloy that is virtually unbreakable, but very rare and valuable. Hence it is only used here. It keeps almost anything out, or anything in. Once he got in he would lock the doors. Then he could do anything he wanted and no one could stop him. The hard part was crossing the massive amount of open ground. He could fool the drones with his hacked system, he had in his hands. But the chances of one of the aliens seeing him was high. he shut off the camera feeds. Tentatively he unlocked the vent hatch. He peeked through, cautiously he was in the 'propulsion system cubicle #4' it shone in glowing alien letters on the inside and outside of the cubicle. Two small aliens sat speaking loudly into microphones in a bored monotone. The relayed messages and replied in management speak. Very pompous, very inefficient. But the federation couldn't resist its professional syntax. Screens dials, whirred and buzzed, spewing out statistics and long chains of incomprehensible numbers. It was like watching an airplane pilot and his co- pilot. Lots of complicated dials and switches, when in actual fact they do very little. They spoke in an alien language, that lingered at the back of Trilby's mind, but he seemed to translate the monotone conversation,

"What is the ineffectual, use of one's digestive tract, in the interest of life cycle number 2, in the confines of 1 2 30?" Trilby rolled his eyes, management speak for 'what did you have for lunch?'. He noticed he was on the thirty first tier of cubicles. He needed to be on the first tier, closest to the captains room. He closed the hatch.

A while later his map indicated he was on the first tier of cubicles. He allowed himself to catch his breath. 'Spike has to lose some weight' he thought. He chuckled in his head. Sparky would have appreciated that comment. He must be in a cell by now. Shame, he could really use someone like Sparky. His plans could be a lot more elaborate with him around. Regardless, his plan remained the same. He opened the vent closest to him. peeking through he read the sign. 'Engine control #1' This will require exquisite timing he thought. He needed to spike the two aliens, hack a drone use it to hide him, move through hundreds of metres of open space, convince Hamsterviel to open the captains door and get inside. All without getting recognized, flagged, inspected, or noticed in general. It would have to be done relatively fast.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The vent hatch opened slowly, it opened by the feet of the aliens. Uncomfortably close. If there was one time he wished he didn't have a highly developed sense of smell it was now. He cringed silently, they didn't seem to mind. they were engrossed in their pompous casual conversations. He couldn't simply interrupt them now. He ducked back inside the vent, accessing his almost all powerful computer. It occurred to him that he could disable the ship using nothing but the computer if its range was long enough. Unfortunately, he could only hack something within a couple of metres. Hence he needed to get to the captain's room, which was all- powerful. He accessed their work panel, he disabled all communications. He heard the conversations stop abruptly, the tapping which then ensued, was a testament to their confusion. He drove a small spike into their feet simultaneously, the garment offered no resistance. The pair jumped, they gave a small cry of panic before they slumped back onto their seats. They began making nonsensical noises as the toxins in the spikes kicked in. Good, he thought. The scanners would still read two people, and the brain was still active. The only way they could notice was if another person looked directly at them. He extricated himself from beside their feet. These aliens didn't wear the white alloy suits. In fact they seemed to wear very little. There wasn't any exposed skin per se but they wore skin tight one- piece jumpsuits. It clung to their bodies, extenuating every curve and orifice. It had a very oily complexion to it, and looked like tin foil. They had to wear this frankly degrading clothing. It was to make sure they couldn't bring anything against regulation into these important rooms, the scanner drones could see right through the material. Meaning they couldn't wear anything over, or under it. Of course there were three individual life signals in the cubicle now. What would happen now is a drone will investigate the cubicle. Right on cue it appeared at the door. The door to the cubicle was blocked by a green field, to stop anyone falling out. It would only disable when the anti gravity floating platform, was 'docked' at the door, or a drone has arrived to investigate. It fizzled out. Through the door entered the drone, the red light glaring like the eyes of a monster. Picking up Trilby's life signs it locked onto him. The red light grew brighter, it read him as a threat. Trilby was bent over the screen of the computer. Slowly he hacked into the drone's system. As the red light grew brighter its weapons engaged, big scary weapons. He needed the drone to lock on and engage. Slowly, he changed the coding. A simple change. He changed the words,' threat' to 'friendly'. Instantly the light turned blue. He breathed a sigh of relief- he had been holding his breath. Any sudden movement or sign of panic would have set the drone off. The drone's system had reset with the change. Words appeared on the screen. 'Awaiting input,'. Changing Trilby from 'threat' to 'friendly' had changed the goal and criteria of the drone, as such it needed new criteria. They look dangerous and scary but I guess they are just misunderstood, he chuckled. Yet he couldn't help but be taken aback as to the blinding ease to which he hacked the drone. Bet they think no one could get this far unnoticed, he thought. Nevertheless, the drone's change may have been flagged. And sure enough the drone started moving. The protocol for a change of criteria was the drone returning to the drone base for reprioritising. Trilby grabbed the drone's underside, latching on with his claws. It bore the weight, apparently it didn't mind. It floated through the room, like a disembodied spirit. Trilby wasn't entirely confident in his position. He wasn't well hidden, just- inconspicuous. He had to hope no one would see him. The drone buzzed, as it proceeded at an agonizingly slow pace, Trilby felt the tension rise like a wave. If he had calculated right the path to the drone base went directly past the captain's room. It proceeded on a meandering trajectory, up down, left right. Apparently it the coding wasn't very good. I'm surprised no one has been shot yet. The apparent lax in security was no doubt a result of Hamsterviel's overconfidence. It was clear he thought he was in no trouble. After all, what force could stop thousands of soldiers. Thus a little lax in attention is allowed. Little did he know. The drone came very close to the wall of the captain's room, Trilby was, for a moment, convinced they would crash. When it didn't, he jumped to the ground. The drone kept its sporadic path. He was very much in the open now- a big blue monster in the middle of a tin foiled party. He reached for the door. He needed to get inside. The door panel flashed. 'Password'. He knew it. It was the same as the mainframe password. Only the officials on the ship knew it. He entered the letters and numbers, sweat glistened on his brow. He liked his plans a lot more when they didn't involve him sitting out in the open. He typed in the numbers. Letting them flash on the screen above. Then the lights turned red. He blinked. All around him the blue lights- reminiscent peace- was transformed into the abominable hellfire. He felt his pores tighten, his fur prickle with indignation. He felt drones start to swarm. Like mayflies they flew in every possible direction, the unmistakable sound of weapons engaging. The red scanner lights flaring, the object of their destruction, at the edge of their vision. The cubicles around him, engaged their lockdown protocols. metallic screens encased each cubicle with heavy duty alloy. The doors locked, the red halo absolving them of their purpose. Trilby pressed himself against the door, as it too switched to a red maw. The keypad- complete with half of the combination became encased, the metal shoving trilby from the wall. He fell into the open space. The commotion, grew steadily more intense. Drones had noticed Trilby, they surrounded him. Engulfing him in a wave of machinery and dangerous weaponry. He held his breath. No sudden movements and they won't shoot. He looked around, it must be here. This protocol was irreversible. There! A blue light in the sea of red. It was the only one who didn't see him as a threat. He typed a quick line of code followed by a sentence. Standing slowly he lifted the computer. The red lights followed his movements. Almost all the available drones were staring at him. He stood completely still as the drone came to his side. He typed another line of code. He stuffed the computer, and his headset, into its wiring. The drone turned round and floated away. He sat back down. His plan had failed, yet he had his suspicions. All may not be lost. He had one more trick. He sat bathed in red. The drones continuing to circle him. Weapons trained. Locked on. There was nowhere to run. However, was there any reason he couldn't do damage from the inside?


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Trilby had remained still as the swarm of red eyed machines seemed to study him with their unblinking gaze. In a surprisingly long time a guard came in to take him. The swarm of drones clicked and clanged as the weapons disengaged and they dispersed about the room, in the guards wake. Oddly enough Trilby recognised him as the big alien he had taken out as Stitch a while ago. He walked hunched, with one arm in a very futuristic sling: It had a screen with numbers running across it. He acted very nonchalant as he dumped Trilby into a glass capsule. Trilby sensed discontent, he had been forced to do this. He pondered for a moment. No foolproof escape plan presented itself, but to keep the mind active and attentive was imperative. The full body white alloy suit, had been stripped away in places, and his arm and head stuck out of it like a target. He muttered exotic curses in his own alien language. He ran the language through his mental database. Eccelion, tough race, quite sparse and very big. Their language was similar a series of grunts and groans of differing pitch and duration. Comically it sounded a bit like the way people imitate cavemen. He seemed vexed and that was a conversation trust point if he ever saw one.

"Hard day?" He grunted in the alien language. The alien looked in legitimate surprise at Trilby.

"I'm used to you lot snarling and scratching," He also spoke in the grunting syntax.

"Can you blame us? You work for the Hamster right?"

"Yes the little bully." The big alien cringed with apprehension. Trilby sighed, his face became downcast.

"Ahhhhh… I know how you feel. Me and my friends worked for Hamsterviel too."

"Really!? He said you were his genetic experiments or something." He began walking away through a large circular door and down some familiar white walled corridors.

"So that's what he told you,"

"What are you really?"

"Stupid… We should have seen he couldn't be trusted from the start but we didn't and look, we are all locked up ready for his next torture. When he hired us he was all like, 'You vill vork for me, and I shall pay you to get rid of zi earthlings,'"

"Sounds like him,"

"But after we had destroyed the island and the people- we were exhausted- then out of the shadows people in white alloy suits jump out and grab us. We were too tired to fight back."

"Yeah, you know that does add up," I know it does.

"So now me and my friends have been caught, we haven't got paid, he's gonna force us to do what he wants and I won't have a choice."

"Yeah, sorry bud, I still gotta do my job." They turned into the experiment room. The cells that lined the walls had corresponding numbers plastered in black on the white walls next to the cell. Trilby felt a twinge as he saw a large number of experiments pressing their faces against the indestructible green transparent barriers that barred the experiments from freedom. Almost all the cells were filled with an experiment and the mood was abysmal. Each experiment seemed to slump against the walls of their cells, faces depressed and downcast. Some were even sobbing. A depressing display to be sure. Trilby saw the face of the big alien imbue with pity for the trapped experiments

"I know, I know, you're just doing your job… But… I noticed you and your colleagues are looking tired… Are you sure… You aren't making our mistake?" This alien wasn't bright. Trilby could see that. But he had planted the seed in his mind. A clever trick. Trilby deliberately didn't tell him outright. This meant the alien would put the pieces together and when he did the idea would seem much more outrageous. That Hamsterviel would turn on his hired men. The big alien's furrowed brow meant he was putting the pieces together. He said nothing as he placed Trilby inside the cell. He said nothing as he sampled his DNA. He slotted the sample into a panel beside the cell. This was a system used in most intergalactic prisons. When the sample DNA matches the person in the cell, it means they are present in the cell. If it does not, then the person is missing- alarms ensue. Foolproof. But Trilby thought he could outsmart the system. But he had to wait for the right time. the big alien locked his cell had walked off toward the door, head furrowed in thought. Trilby you are evil, he thought to himself. The cell was Spartan to say the least. A bed attached to the wall. Three chutes were imbedded in the wall. One for food, one for water, one for waste. He sat down against the wall looking out over the room, watching and waiting. He was in cell 319. Four rows from the bottom. His gaze was drawn to the faces of his friends. Slushy seemed to be happily snoring in his cell. Yin and Yang, in adjoining cells, were actually looking at him. He smiled and waved. They tilted their heads in confusion, Yang pointed to his ears- where the headset had once been. Trilby pieced the signs, he had knocked them out. Didn't help his resume, but it was for their own safety. They didn't look angry so much as confused. He'd make it up to them. Right on the top row was a cell that was slightly different from the rest. Instead of a single layer of security, several cameras, a drone, and what looked like three doors. Trilby rolled his eyes against the paranoia. 626 was plastered next to it. Apparently Hamsterviel was not taking any risks with Stitch. Trilby knew Stitch didn't trust him, and after he had left Stitch it didn't show any sign of improvement, nevertheless if his escape plan worked he would save Stitch. Where was Lilo? He thought. His eyes were drawn to Sparky's cell, and where he expected to see the face of his blood brother he saw empty space. There was no way out of that laboratory, Trilby knew it. How did he escape them… Unless… Trilby hit his head against the wall. Sparky hadn't been caught, which meant the ship was still on high alert. 'High alert', means any anomaly that is flagged immediately puts the ship's section into lockdown. A drone acting weirdly- normally not a big deal- but for all is egotistic mannerisms Hamsterviel was not entirely stupid. But if Sparky wasn't here then where was he?


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Sparky hovered at the edge of the digital limbo. His friends were caught and his brother could be anywhere. In hindsight this was just like him. I think I should have a word or two about trust after this is all over, he would have frowned had he had a head. Though in electrical void he had no physical being, just a collection of free electrons with his DNA imprinted inside each tiny sphere of electrical energy. Jumba had explained the process to him once before, maybe he should have listened. Nevertheless, finding Trilby was his main task now. The cameras! But, he wouldn't be on any camera feeds, he wouldn't trigger any motion sensors, or make an audible noise. His options were rather limited. But he was still free, he was still here, and willing to help in any way he could. His non- existent face would have been contorted in thought. Thinking in general had never really been a staple diet for Sparky, he had always felt jumping into a fight and declaring justice as the head mode of battle. And normally it worked out fine. But he had realised that it was only half of the bundle. When, Trilby did the planning it normally worked out fine as well. Perhaps, it was time to mix the two. Now he needed to adopt almost the polar opposite mindset.

If I were Trilby where would I go? In truth Sparky knew Trilby the best, but he still found his brother hard to read. He was trying to take the ship down from the inside so where would he go? Of course the captain's room! The hub- the control centre. Sparky sparked. The only way he could express glee or any emotion of any kind, here. He followed the current, a supercomputer needs to get its power from somewhere, and wherever it is- it isn't in that laboratory. The supercomputer was huge, thus it took him more aimless wondering to find a path out of the maze of a computer. He found a large electrical pathway- a wire. He followed it, reaching the solid wall that was the access panel at the other end. Sparky had no idea who was on the other side of the panel, only that they wouldn't be… Soon enough. Sparky prepared to re- manifest, re animate. The calm ecstasy of the electrical land he was in was cast off. He was steeled, he was strong. He had absorbed enough electricity from the computer, and was running hot. 100% power. He could take risks. Sparky leapt out of the panel his electrical cells, becoming living cells in an almost instantaneous reaction. The alien on the receiving end, was thoroughly shocked both literally and metaphorically. Before he could say a word he dropped to the ground juddering violently, while being deathly paled by the surprise. Immediately, he heard sirens, lights flashed in a red torrent. Sparky looked around at the sea of faces that had turned to witness his arrival, like the alien he had just shocked- mostly by accident. They all wore shocked expressions. It did not take long to piece together that this was the generator, and the red lights were not natural. Sirens, red lights- the alarm had been triggered. Either it hadn't been disabled since he left or Trilby was in trouble. The welling of emotion, as the subconscious sense of duty kicked in. Movement around him, snapped him back to reality, his mind was racing, his heart beating like a tribal drum. The unison- matching the pace of the tension. The huge machine of vast proportions- the generator, it resembled an enormous scaled up motor. The buzz in the air was a testament to the analogy, and the smell of frying metal another. Sparky breathed in, he smelt electricity, the generator's electromagnetic field filled the air with a tingly dose of electricity. He felt it fill his body, he summoned it to the forefront of his mind. He allowed his electrical energy- stored in the cells in his fur- accumulate through his conductor paws, an enormous arsenal. If Trilby was indeed in trouble then he was going to help- the only way he knew how. Utter chaos. The ecstasy- the thrill of imminent destruction. All around him people took cover diving behind metal partitions, panels and gaps in the machines dimensions. The small yellow experiment was absorbing electricity, didn't bode well. Unfortunately, for them, they could not fathom the power of the approaching shock. The glow of electricity lit his paws. They glowed with a growing light. Bigger and more impressive light. He felt a sting on the back of his neck, like a needle prick. He turned to see the one bulky guard the barrel of his plasma rifle still smoking. He seemed taken aback by the ineffective charge. Sparky revelled in the aliens confusion. The look of hopelessness as it drained from their face. The look of growing horror at the danger- they stared at. Sparky mummified that face. Why did he ever turn good? To which he shook his head- he was doing for this for Trilby. He absorbed the energy in the air, confining it to the 'Jigawatt jolt' forming in his arms. The Jigawatt jolt- his signature ability. It used half his store of electricity, the power it conducted was monumental. He had taken down entire spaceships with it, overloading ships had been his specialty back in the day. He couldn't overload the whole ship, it was too big, but he could disable a large section of the ship. The nostalgia was rife in his mind. If Trilby wanted the ship taken down from the inside, then a little destruction couldn't hurt. He was doing this for Trilby after all…

"Who is I kidding," He shouted in very disjointed English.

And let loose the 'Jigawatt Jolt'.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Trilby had been waiting for a hour, enough time for him to start losing hope. But, eventually the door opened. Trilby breathed a sigh of relief. His favourite drone was floating toward his cell. That one line of code. 'Activity activate: Inspect cell 319- priority 2'. Priority 1. 'Shut down speakers in the experiment room: status repairs', it had to have been done. If it hadn't the entire exercise was pointless. Regardless, his plan was now in effect. The drone began to hover in front of his cell, bathing the interior with blue light. He breathed deeply, summoning up his inherited power he released it. He sent every spike he had at the walls of the cell. Like he was shedding his skin he felt the control of his powers wane, to a more base level. He lifted his arm. The ovals were drained of all colour. He felt his fur morph. His blue regressing to his redder self. Once the transformation was done, alarms began to ring. The DNA no longer matched. he was not Spike anymore hence the sample was inaccurate. Red lights blurred everyone's vision as the doors flew open. Soldiers crammed through the door. Trilby could sense the eagerness, the scent of bonus money. The anti gravity platform, was crammed with soldiers, in their trademark white suits the bodies melted together the white sea of heads and plasma rifles, lifted to the sky. Such avaricious fervour was commendable- just how much money had Hamsterviel promised them? Points to Hamsterviel- when it came to enticing his minions he knew how to do it. But he digressed, now was not the time for commendations. Trilby bent low, ready to pounce. In his base state he realised he was slower, weaker his unconditioned body would crumble over so many soldiers. He was taking an unavoidable risk- he couldn't deceive or plan his way out of an army of incentivised hulking mercenaries. Nevertheless, he could improvise. He witnessed the storm of soldiers as they crammed themselves onto the 'anti gravity transport platform' same as they used in the control room. With an dramatic grating sound it raised, slowly. Ironic that the gravity slowed an anti gravity platform. But also notable. Trilby ran a calculation in his head, it was a rough and rushed estimation but it could work. The soldiers were so eager they didn't even notice the drone hovering in the doorway, almost an inch in front of the leader's face. They slapped their key cards to the panel's lock, a green flash and the door slid open, it slid from top to bottom. Trilby was small, he leapt to the doors gap, and pounced onto the drone. As the soldiers piled onto the spot he had been a second before. Over eagerness makes mistakes, he thought. Before he could point out the irony, the drone dropped to the floor- or rather the anti gravity platform. The soldiers were roughly parted in its wake. The momentum transferring from the drone's underside to the platform. The platform lights flickered, the weight torturing its magnetism. Anti gravity platforms worked through a series of very powerful magnet- like metals. 'Magnet like' being it was an alien metal which had a powerful attraction to another type of alien metal. The magnetism was so strong that the force of the drone upon an overload of soldiers wasn't enough to break the magnetism. Sadly for Trilby it meant his estimation was wrong. All around him soldiers rubbed their heads, regained their senses. Trilby reached into the insides of the drone bringing out the headset and the computer- into which he wrote in big alien lettering: /move vertical priority 1. It began to rise at a steady pace. A blast splashed onto the computer- its Gluchnakh composition, giving it unrealistic resistance. Nevertheless, the blast forced it out from under his fingers. It dropped to the floor clattering. The drone kept rising. It would not stop rising. Trilby felt a jarring experience throughout his body. He lay on his back, so he could better absorb the shock. As a barrage of plasma splashed past the drone's perimeter. The plasma that connected squarely with the craft forced it up faster. He was close to the ceiling of the tall room. His body already felt sore from the barrage of plasma as it hit the bottom of the drone. It's size meant no plasma physically connected with Trilby. As he reached the roof he pushed against it with all his miniscule might. The plasma didn't desist. He was stuck until he ran out of energy or the plasma melted the drone's vertical motion control. For the first time Trilby felt truly helpless. Shame really. His arms began to wobble. The weight- the force. All far too much for his generic body to take. He stared over to where Stitch had his face pressed against the green-hued glass. Their eyes met and Trilby could almost taste the hatred. It was the same look as he gave Gantu or Hamsterviel. To him he was another enemy. But it was the malicious grin Stitch had donned. The pleasure he had in light of Trilby's plight. It would be a while, if ever, for Trilby to find a friend in little Stitch. His chest slammed against the roof, winding him. His arms were too weak, his legs submissive. Maybe he could still surrender. Suddenly, the drone's blue light flickered out. The plasma had melted the wires and the drone was now very much dead. It dropped. As did Trilby. The air rushing up beneath him. Would he survive the fall? Then… Before he connected with the ground. He felt a sharp feeling, power. He had felt it before, and he recognised the shock. As it flowed through his system. He grinned, his plight was over. He spread his arms mid-air, embracing the power in the air, and he became one with it. He morphed. The seconds it took for him to touch the floor. Blast resistance, shock resistance. Attributes that were almost birthright of the experiments became his. Dust and plasma sloshed on impact. The red lights blew in their many sockets. An electromagnetic pulse wracked the ship. Sparky's Jigawatt Jolt couldn't have come any later. In his head he thanked whatever experiment Gods watched over him. Smiling Trilby rose from the debris. All weakness, ousted from his system. He felt a pair of antenna sprout from his forehead, electricity flowing up its conductive pores. Trilby felt a sting. He had been shot. He felt another, He stopped making light, the room had been plunged into complete darkness. Sparky had used his head. He had saved Trilby through thinking and not simply mindless destruction. Or at least Trilby hoped it wasn't just lucky mindless destruction. He was met by the white masks of over a hundred eager mercenaries. Now and then he was stung by a stray blast. His night vision kicked in and out of the corner of his eye he spied the panel, connected to the large screen. That was his ticket out of here. The soldiers had night vision too, but it didn't turn on automatically, like Trilby's. He had 2 seconds head start. The computer! He thought. But if it was in the crowd there was no way he would get to it. He had taken far too many risks. He would have to carry on unaided, by his magical computer. But if he had Sparky he would be unstoppable anyway. Time to go. He dived into flight. The light dazzled many soldiers. But he was inside the panel before any of them had time to react.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Gantu sprinted across the room, arms flailing in front of him. In the darkness, it was easy to trip on a deactivated drone, especially since he was so big. The air smelt strongly of burned out electronics. That experiment 221, that was reportedly seen had found the generator. Hamsterviel had ordered all available guards to be posted inside the generator room. Then everyone was called to the experiment room, leaving the generator all but unguarded. Gantu had ordered everyone to the experiment room. So no doubt- he was getting the blame.

"Woah easy there, big guy." Rueben's voice in his ear, he was perched on his shoulder as he blundered through the darkness. "Ooooooh… The ghost's might get ya,"

"Would you quiet down!"

"Hey I'm trying to lighten the mood, ha ha."

"You… I… Ok that one wasn't bad,"

"There you go! Can ya see better?"

"You know, I think I can…" There was an audible smack as Gantu connected with a metal wall.

"To be fair, walls are pretty hard to see."

"Be quiet, 625,"

Gantu felt his way round the circular room. His hands searching for a hatch. Rueben was quiet as he did it, he appreciated the importance of the situation. If they were any later than they were already they could be punished- painfully. Gantu found the hatch. He grabbed the hatch, pushing up with all his strength. It came off, clattering on the floor. A red outline around the hatch revealed a keypad. Into the keypad he typed the manual override pass code. All around the room, emergency lights flickered on. For a moment, they were dazzled by the light. They were pushed back as the wall began to shift. The metal shell that protected the captain's room slid down into the ground. Red emergency lighting filled the room with a dull hue.

"Place is like a graveyard," No joking for once, the room was certainly intimidating. Lifeless drones littered the floor of the huge room, great hunks of metal. The operators had been moved to further down the ship- on Hamsterviel's orders, which meant the once bustling room was empty. Devoid of life. It was rather a ghostly image. The silence was ominous, the air tinted with the unnatural aroma of frying. Gantu took a moment to appreciate the empty room. The silence as so serene. He knew it would be gone in seconds. Gantu, hammered on the door of the captain's room. The screen above the room activated, Hamsterviel's face appeared.

"Ahhh, Gantu… Good… come in." The door slid open seamlessly, Gantu was taken aback. He was used to being greeted with a barrage of insults. Contrary to what he was used to he sounded, slow, and quiet. Surely he was just acting like Gantu hadn't done anything so he could get his hopes up. Hamsterviel was devious like that. Rueben too had noticed the change. They looked at each other frowning.

"I think the Hamsters got it in for you now," he chuckled. Gantu steeled himself and walked inside.

The room was large, luxurious and circular. No expense was spared in this room, all manner of comfort was available. Most of it was looted from Earth. Sofa's carpets, colourful drapes, fine linens. Hamsterviel certainly had a taste for luxury. The room was packed to the ceiling. It was like the room had been padded with pillows. Not a square inch was not covered with some kind of comfortable silken material. Ordinarily this room was a highly efficient operations centre, but Hamsterviel had his priorities slightly bent. Gantu had been in this room before. Hamsterviel always preferred to insult his underlings in person, yet he had been in it before when he was a captain of the galactic alliance. Oh how I miss those days he thought- bracing himself what was coming.

"Doctor Hamsterviel sir!" He stood to attention, giving a very convincing air of professionalism. "I apologize for my actions, I assure you that this should not…"

"Hmm, stop your speeching and wailing Gantu, I'm trying to think." Rueben and Gantu's eyes met. This was not normal. Hamsterviel was acting strange- be it more than usual. He paced back and forth in front of his large panel of controls. His fur was ruffled, his brow furrowed in thought. His head clasped between his hands. He shoved piles of soft material to the floor as he paced, much of the scenery was strewn about the place. In the midst of the apparent turmoil, Rueben felt he should lighten the mood.

"Hey I told you that decorator looked dodgy, ha ha," Gantu cracked a smile. Hamsterviel stopped pacing, turning to look at the pair. His gaze bore into them, no uproar, just telepathic disapproval. Gantu almost backed off. Even Rueben seemed hesitant. He was far more threatening now than he was violent.

"It would seem I underestimated 629, my friend gave me a copy of his blueprints," He pointed to them spread out on a fancy table. Gantu walked up to the table, peering down at the papers. "He is also on zis ship, I saw zi footage of zi breakout in zi experiment bay and zat was definitely 629. He has also absorbed zi powers of zat experiment 221. Zey shall look for each other no doubt, and we have no camera footage, no remote security, and worst of all zi audio system is down. Now… I knew zis woud happen once I heard 221 had boarded zi ship. So i left one generator on and isolated circuit just in case. It was zi right move." Gantu was halfway down the page.

"Where are our mercenaries?"

"Our soldiers have become unresponsive, I did not give zem a break, I thought I would have all the experiments by now. Now zere is a rumour zat I am not going to pay zem, so zi imcompetent soldiers refuse to work now,"

"Sir, you weren't going to pay them… Anyway, Jumba created headsets that block the sonic wave."

"Yes, we cannot rely on the sonic wave now," He slumped onto a chaise lounge. Experiments 221 and 629 will make zere way to zi backup generator and try and shut it down, if they do zi ship will fall to zi earth, we can't let zat happen. I need power, to counter zi two experiments. But how?" His face was contorted with plans, all of which he ruled out." Maybe I could talk to 629. Zat couldn't work. Zis was all going so well," Rueben jumped to the floor,

"Hey Hamster what rooms are you powering exactly?"

"Only one generator is left, I have to power zi experiment room, this room, and the thrusters, the gravity system and all the essential airing systems. It would only take one spark to set it off."

"So you didn't power the prison sector?"

"No why?"

"Cause Lilo is free," He pointed to one of the monitor screens, where Lilo was sprinting through the ship. Flitting from camera screen to camera screen,

"Problem after problem, I put a lot into zis and I am so close."

Gantu lifted the blueprints pointing to a line.

"Sir, this looks promising." Hamsterviel glanced over to him.

"I think I have an idea," he grabbed the blueprints studying it with a practised eye.

"The trog can only transform once an hour, he cannot transform again or he will lose all of his energy." Hamsterviel started making his trademark child noises,

"Gantu you have zi captain's chair, try and convince the mercenaries to stop zere silly strike. 625 come with me, I have some talking to do." On his way out Hamsterviel grabbed Jumba's computer. He began to laugh as himself and Rueben walked away. Hamsterviel, though a dramatic, egotistical, maniac. Hadn't become an evil doctor through stupidity, though technically he had cheated the title, he was still devious.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Trilby's mind raced, but the waves of electricity which pulsed through him seemed to integrate his being with calming ecstasy. Waves was no exaggeration, with the burst of electricity from Sparky the electrical pathways now pulsed with excess. It engulfed him. Surrounded him, with terrifying power, hidden under layers of docile laws. Through the therapeutic twilight- he steeled his mind. He was back in the game now. At first he travelled in no particular direction, he merely followed the existing current though that was harder said than done. Once Sparky shorted out the ships functions the current also disappears. Delays. He moved forward toward the source. He sensed the concentration of electricity as he traced it to its origin, the epicentre of the destruction. Though all senses were somewhat masked, his mind was unexpectedly sharper, yet it began to wander. He always snapped back to reality before he left the beaten track but the allure of the regularity, simplicity laced with a certain unattainable power. Electricity had such power, like every energy source- and experiments were its vessel. But why does energy have such power, yet insist on being simple and regular. Without quite realising he was ousted from the flow. He crashed into the panel with a force that should have sent it clean off its wiring. Of course that didn't happen. Instead he flew from the panel, straight through its exposed electronics, landing face down on the floor. The room was pitch black save for a glow. He heard laughter. He looked up.

Sparky sat with one of the most forced nonchalant expressions on his face. He had that expression because, and Trilby had no doubt, because he was perched atop a large pile of guards. Most seemed to be smoking, with their suits occasionally sparking, as a reminder of what happened. There was groaning too and it was loud. Sparky had his antenna conducting a bolt of electricity between them. The subsequent light was enough to light the small area they were in since the bulbs had all blown.

"Graceful," Trilby stood brushing his fur,

"First time actually."

"Yeah, but I got it perfect first time." Sparky jumped down from the pile.

"Well second place is fine for me."

"You mean last place," Trilby winked, "How hot are you running?"

"About 30%,"

"Not enough for another jolt, huh,"

"So what's the plan bro?"

"Well the ship's still flying, which means the thrusters are being powered by an isolated circuit, one that didn't short out with your jolt."

"So we go and shut it down?"

"Well… It's not that simple. It's on an isolated circuit, so we can't reach it through any electrical pathway not connected to the circuit directly. Besides, you messed up the current and everything's blown up. It's impossible to know where you're going. I traced the electrical surge to its source." Inside of a circuit the current is like the traffic flow, without it, electricity 'roams' freely in any direction. Sparky could always tell where the power source was by the direction of the current and following it to its source, without it they were blind.

"How do we get their then, we don't have a map."

"We need to find a room being powered, it's connected to the generator, we can follow the current straight to it."

"Trilby, what about the noise. They aren't going to take any chances now."

"My headset is in the experiment room and yours is in some laboratory somewhere, and they are probably running the sound constantly now."

"So head on assault is a bad move." Trilby gave Sparky a frown which asked,' are you even trying?'.

"No, head on is not a good move. But seeing as we have no idea where we are, any move at all is difficult right now."

"Is the great Trilby struggling to come up with a plan?"

"Well we are two experiments with no protection against the noise, who need to find rooms with the noise blaring out. Yes I'm struggling to make a plan."

"What about the helmets? Didn't they work before?" Trilby gazed at the pile of soldiers,

"We can't talk with them on, and it really crushes your antenna." Sparky reached up to feel his antenna, they were very sensitive. We also can't take it through the computer."

"Oh yeah, soooooo we're stuck," Trilby refused to accept there had to be a way, yet he had always had information on his side. Now he had no idea where he was or what he was supposed to do now. They were halfway there but they were stuck now. By shorting out most of the ship they had blinded themselves.

"We have to look around, hope something appears out of nowhere to guide us." Trilby then hit his head against a wall, in a show of frustration.

"Hey hey, save it for Hamsterviel."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Lilo panted, she hadn't stopped nor did she intend to. Her mind was devoted to a singular thought. Her friends. Stitch could be in trouble. Now she was sprinting through dark corridors, she didn't know where she was going, and nor did she care. She was in danger, but not as much danger as Stitch and his cousins. It was the priority at the forefront of her mind. Nothing took precedence. It was so prominent, the adrenaline fuelling her singular resolve, that she wasn't looking where she was going. The world span as she crashed, in the darkness, she saw nothing. But the feeling of the crash spoke volumes. The texture, unmistakeable. The white clod alien guard, looked down, no face visible behind the visor. Desperately she rolled, struggling to her feet. The alien bent down grabbing her arm. She tugged at the man with a pent up aggression. She almost snarled. The alien wasn't fazed at all by her plight. Instead he reached up to touch the side of his visor. She heard decompression sound as the helmet twisted. The alien chucked the helmet nonchalantly to the side of the corridor. His face was scarred, as if someone had chiselled his face while having a seizure. From what Lilo could guess he was supposed to have fur, but it had been shaven off. He only had three teeth which were sharpened to points. He gurgled in some alien dialect, chuckled and began sauntering away. Blissfully 'singing'.

Lilo blinked. How was she supposed to react to that. She had just escaped from prison, and the guards were helping her up. What was going on? From the corner of her eye she the helmet, she picked it up, a look of confused indignation plastered across her face. She heard a twanging sound come from further down the corridor. As she reached a junction helmet cradled in her hands, she saw a light. A room had light coming from it. Her confusion, and curiosity, convinced her to move toward it. Maybe that alien was just a deranged one- off, it certainly had that vibe. She peered round the door with all the caution she could muster. The light came, not from lights, but a series of helmet spotlights which were perched at the sides of the room pointing at the floor. However the lights actually seemed to integrate with the rooms design. To Lilo's amazement this room was an almost exact replica of a 1960's jazz club. A stage filled up one side of the room, a couple of guards played alien instruments upon it. Lilo had to take a moment to savour the image of the intimidating guards slapping at strings. The sound was piercing but strangely enchanting. Lilo noticed these guards held there helmet microphones to the instruments making it louder. Clearly to overhaul the hum of the chat. There was no English in the thrum of guards, they sat around circular tables, drinks of varying colour and size, in hand. No guard wore a helmet. In one corner a bar, in an almost exact copy of the ones down on earth, was packed with the bottle equivalents of their drinks, as a waiter in appropriate get up served them. Lilo was speechless. Not least, because she was slightly scared, but because of the scale of the room, it was massive. She stood with her mouth open admiring the replica, the only real anomaly was the colour. Whereas the rest of the ship was white this room was an obnoxious red.

Something bumped her shoulder, an alien, Lilo reared back, tripping to the floor. And in a scarily similar way the alien bent down and helped her up. Lilo couldn't understand the surrealism. She was in a replica 1960's jazz club, with guards, who really should be capturing her. But instead, were drinking, chatting, and listening to music. She almost wanted to scream. She was sweating profusely. The alien touched her arm. He lifted his helmet. A reptilian face stared down at her.

"Uch blic ki inkh?" It seemed like he was coughing up furball.

Lilo was suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Uh… Hello?"

"Ohhhhhh, Ji eac ik," He looked around, still holding onto her arm. He waved. She followed his gaze. There was another alien slouched alone on a seat in the corner. He wasn't a guard, he hadn't the usual getup. Instead he wore a large coat of grey, it enveloped his body as he seemed far too short for it. He nodded as an equally disproportionate pair of goggles slipped down his face. The reptilian alien pulled him toward the table. Lilo was confused, yet she surmised that the table was better than prison. She allowed herself to be pulled, whereupon they sat her down. The alien sat likewise and they both stared with interest at her.

"Ekk vi hik?" The lizard one turned to the small one.

"Eh ni ka nak," They both turned to her again, the small one cleared his throat.

"I say, would you care for a drink?" In a very posh British accent. The diminutive cat-like alien then bowed, proffering a glass of a blue liquid. Lilo almost fell off her chair. Had she entered Wonderland? The glass might have well had 'Drink me!' on a label. It was so surreal. She was used to supernatural aliens but this was too much.

"H-how?"

"How can I speak English?" He chuckled in a friendly manner."You would be surprised, my dear, how famous 'English' is out here."

"But why would you speak English out here?"

"Speak it ha ha, no my dear, we don't make a habit of speaking it, we study it." His goggles slipped down his face, he resettled them with a flourish that almost forgave the pause," You see, most languages we use here, are simple and efficient. 'English' is one of the most inefficient languages. It's a marvel, a specimen of divine providence, so many contractions, conjunctions and convoluted mixtures. So many words for the same word. Wonderful isn't it?"

"Uh… Yeah… I guess. Well, my name is Lilo, I'm from Earth."

"Pleasure, the name's Negid and this here is Janqe. I'm a science officer and he is my bodyguard." Janqe smiled and nodded at her. The music reached its final twang and the group exitted to their respective tables.

"Hey I can't help but notice that no one is working. Is there a problem?"

"Oh that…" he turned to his friend, "Ik ji la di," They laughed, the movement shaking the table. The glass toppled, the blue liquid covered the table. The little alien looked forlornly into the bottom of his glass.

A large alien had jumped up onto the stage, his muscles rippling and his overbearing nature, very apparent. He carried himself with humility, perhaps because his arm was in a sling and the cogs in his head seemed to be smoking.

"Speak of the doddle, Did I say that right?" Lilo didn't answer, the big alien. The same that knocked her out. She considered hiding under the table. She felt the fear seep into her skin. Negid noticed. "Scary huh? He's big, not much in the brain area. I made friends with him early. Really easy actually. I can get pretty much anything I want here with him at my shoulder." He chuckled. "His name's Hoklert, a yahar, dying race. Rock for arms and rock for brains. He's probably the cleverest out of all their race. It's why they're dying out." He whispered in her ear as Hoklert cleared his throat. His entire speech was done in another language so Negid translated for her.

"Hamsterwheel is wrong to be catching these creatures. We are wrong to be catching these creatures. They were just like us working for him. Then he turned on them. He could turn on us next. We should fight back against the Hamster." The speech was hardly politician worthy but he received a decent applause.

"He wants to fight against Hamsterviel?"

"Yeah but nothing electronic works on the ship anymore so no one can find him."

"What happened?"

"Well you see, a couple of intruders made it onto the ship. Four in fact. Little monsters, yet unusually powerful…"

"Really!? Experiments broke into the ship!"

"Oh my… Did I say experiments? He looked up at her face from the glass, the goggles slipping from his face." Here I thought you were just an escaped Earth specimen, how do you know they are experiments?"

"Uh… They live with us down on Earth."

"Impossible… You can't live with them, I mean, they are destructive in every sense- they weren't designed with compassion."

"Well, I'm the one who tames them," The little alien perked up, he bent toward his friend whispering in the alien language. The lizard alien laughed.

"Tame them? How?" Lilo, still a little bemused by the company, surmised that if she convinced these people to help her, she may be able to save the experiments. They seemed nice enough. Maybe she could play on their heartstrings?

"Well, Mr.… Negid, I already knew about the experiments because one came to Earth. He was rough and destructive because he didn't know anything else. So I taught him about family and quickly he became considerate, we were best friends, but the federation wanted to capture him. Me Pleakly, an Earth expert and Jumba a scientist helped to…"

"Jumba? As in Jumba Jookiba!?" Negid perked up. Even Janqe's eyes had lit up at the name.

"Yeah, scientist, big and round." The two aliens looked at each other. Their eyes told volumes. They clearly knew him, but what did they think of him. Did they hate him or respect him.

"Lilo, I know what you want us to do, if we help you free your friends you will take me to Jumba," He already knew what her answer would be, he and Janqe had already stood upsetting the film of liquid that covered the table.

"Yes, thank you so much. Um… do you know the way?" He waggled his finger at Lilo,

"I'm a scientist remember, and some things a scientist always keeps on him at all times." Out of his pocket he drew a small square piece of metal. "Lik ji," The metal box disconnected the glow of green light, extenuating the lines, as the piece was bisected into four. It enlarged then. Widening, becoming a large screen. It hovered just above his hand, without any visible support. " The four pieces are the same material as the stuff they use in anti gravity platforms," He tapped his palm." It'll stay like that because of the magnetism with the other metals. The screen itself is a compact hologramatic system with organic sensors. Hence a movement corresponds with an option on the screen." He waved his hand at the screen a couple of times. A map appeared. "Indubitably, good isn't it, my dear." She was impressed, Jumba had some competition. "Come Janqe, Lilo,"

Janqe was happily chatting with Hoklert. "Janqe! You are useless, really. How can you be my bodyguard if you aren't with me." Janqe slapped Hoklert on the shoulder.

"Ti lok no ik?"

"Jo no ki," Hoklert smiled. Lilo looked fearfully at the behemoth, but she didn't cower. She trusted Negid.

"Lilo, we seem to have company on our trip."

"He's not going to…"

"No, no, my dear, he is quite loyal once you get to know him." The four turned down the corridor Janqe taking the lead with his helmet torch shining down the hallway.

"Negid?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you want to meet Jumba so badly? How do you know him?" Negid grabbed his goggles settling them on his head. In the dark she couldn't see the entirety of his diminutive frame. Especially when he was compared to Hoklert's expansive visage. But Lilo could make out white. He was grinning widely.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The blackened corridors resembled a labyrinth. The hundreds of junctions and Identical corridors testified, cementing here fear. The ominous atmosphere melded with the silence. The unsettling nature of the ship, now multiplied, sought to upset her security. Lilo had been in danger before. Many times. But she had never been the target. She had always been sidelined as she wasn't a threat inherently. Now she had no control, moving at the whim of the company she had surrounded herself with, and she still didn't know their motivation. She could be saving her friends just to put them in a worse spot. Nevertheless, it was her only option and time was against her. But at least now she was calm. Before, as the thrill of escaping her cell was still rife in her mind. She had been nonsensical. Even as she talked to her new acquaintances she hadn't had time to think things through. Possibly, because she had never expected these pieces to align the way it had. If she hadn't been stopped by the guard that helped her up she would still be running through these ghost corridors. A frightening prospect.

They moved through the tunnels, relatively slowly. They had to stop at every junction as Negid consulted the pocket computer. They took turn after turn down endless darkness, Janqe had the lead with his light, Negid at his shoulder. Then she walked, sandwiched between them and Hoklert, who moved, a mammoth shadow behind her. He didn't speak. Or maybe he did. He seemed to grunt occasionally, but Lilo had no idea what the grunts pertained to. But each second in the dark, in the company of strange aliens, going somewhere- she didn't know- seemed to chip at her resolve. She was confident, charismatic. But circumstances like these were trying, but at least now she had time to think.

An hour ago she had been sat in a cell, brooding over her failure. She had been overconfident. She thought this was second nature to her, and to an extent it was. Which is why she drastically underestimated Hamsterviel and his plan. From what she could divine, Hamsterviel was using this 'noise' to enrage, her friends, then lock them up in that room. Mind you, that had been two days ago. They hadn't moved. So Lilo assumed he hadn't got them all yet. Then suddenly the ship shook. She had felt a tingling as all the bulbs in the large prison room burst, the panels outside their cells shattered, the locking mechanisms fried. Simultaneously the doors fell open, releasing the insubordinate mercenaries. There had been guards, but they were occupied with the larger inmates. She had snuck past them. Hence she had run down the endless corridors, endless darkness. Filled with anxiety, fear and the adrenaline rush that fuelled her. But what was that tingling, the shock that had set her free. She had a feeling Sparky was responsible, after all Negid mentioned experiments boarding the ship. But he had mentioned there were four. She wondered if Trilby was one of the four. She still didn't know who's side he was on, if he had a side. He had left with the ship she knew, but why did he take Sparky if he had no reason too. She didn't quite understand it. Despite her extensive knowledge of such things.

The ship shook suddenly and violently. Shock imbued her face as she got catapulted back into Hoklert. He didn't even react to the impact. His bulk cushioned her, yet she fell to the floor with an audible crash. Her head span, both from shock and impact. Hoklert bent down to pick her off the floor. She cradled her arm as he did so, he was surprisingly gentle. He seemed to smile with genuine kindness, he wasn't a bad guy. On the other hand, she was absolutely no threat. Upon standing she noticed Janqe was posed prepared for a fight. He knelt beside the wall, jamming the helmet on. He drew a blaster levelling it. Negid jumped behind the steeled henchman, screen hovering above his hand. Two bright dots visible.

"Ji het ki di… na." He pointed down the left corridor. Janqe powered his weapon up. Hoklert flexed his muscles. Negid tapped faster at his portable screen.

"What's going on?"

"I'm picking up a huge concentration of electricity, massive, never seen a singularity- no- a pair. Be on your guard. Ji ik ni ba." Lilo, though in pain, read the situation. The hairs on her arm stood on end. A mixture of anticipation and electricity. For her, she could almost recognise it, like nostalgia it struck a chord. Her mind pieced together the information. Her sincerity realising, kicking in like she had been shocked. The ship shook again less violently. But enough to send her to the floor once again. A second later she saw a flash as fresh plasma plastered itself over the corridor. Temporarily blinded, she struggled to her feet. There was pain in her arm and leg now. Yet the idea in her head rang true. These 'problems' could very well be…

"STOP!"

And she fell onto the floor again.

"Sparky, you know we would attract less guards if you stopped sparking."

"I'm bored, it's a fun way to pass the time." Trilby almost agreed. He was much more restless now in Sparky's body. But even so, there was only so many endless corridors you could walk down.

"Sparky you're wasting energy."

"No I'm not, bro, I'm actually getting more." He said very matter of fact. Sparky gnawed on an industrial grade weapon battery. He took them from the weapons of the guards they defeated.

"Sparky when people know where we are it works against us. They could make a trap."

"You really worried about a trap. I could fight off a hundred guards. You can watch." Trilby thought he felt something, his antenna sparked. Trilby worked this out on the go. Send a small electric charge down a corridor tells you if someone's down it. Nothing.

"Look, Sparky we are walking down endless corridors in no direction, I get it, it's boring but I'm not getting wet because of you."

"Seriously bro, try one." Sparky tossed him a battery. They didn't look appetising.

"No Sparky I said I don't want to eat them."

"What are you afraid of, as long as you don't bite down."

"I'm not scared just…" He inspected the battery. Cylindrical, big sparking at the tips where it had been ripped from a rifle.

"Yeah definitely scared. You wanna wait here? I can save the others by myself you know."

"I bet you couldn't make it twenty seconds by yourself."

"Look who's talking,"

"Okay so not everything went to plan. In fact, this is the first time I haven't had a plan."

"Well I have a plan- and it involves batteries."

Trilby shot him a scowl. He could be very obtuse.

"We'll find something eventually, they can't take off with no power." Trilby tossed the battery into his mouth and bit down.

"Wouldn't do that…" Trilby felt a jarring sensation. A surge of electricity. He coughed out physical electricity, his body trying to stomach the huge influx, Trilby was already full-100%- the boost was overloading, the protocol taking effect. His body subconsciously releasing electricity. Sparky dived and pushed Trilby. Colliding with the wall, instantly the excess conducted into the metal. The surge had no visible effect. But the ship shook violently the metal charged and bent under the pressure. Sparky grabbed Trilby lifting him to stop him being shaken to death. Super charged Trilby, now disposed of the unwanted power smoked from the pores of his skin. The ship ground to a halt. But the damage was apparent. "I did warn you,"

"…Don't…"

"Never overload yourself, Okay?"

"…"

"You won't be able to move because you messed up your circuit. It'll equalise again but never do that," Sparky had suddenly turned very informative. Trilby refused to say anything. He should have known it already, and Sparky would rub it in. He felt odd, his head span and the his body as numb, he couldn't move. Trilby realised that many experiments would have elements that were dangerous to them. Sadly Trilby didn't have the same instincts. He have to learn the hard way.

"You know I've never had to explain how I work before?" Sparky began to fly with Trilby over one shoulder. "I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner. But you couldn't know right? You have a lot to learn little brother." Sparky smashed against the wall. A ball of plasma making his pores spark. He powered up, his danger instincts ordering him. Leaving Trilby on the floor. He leapt toward the source, another shot collided with his body sending him back, the momentum carrying him. This guy was good. Dodging the follow up shots. Sparky landed, the antenna sparking, there were 4 people, two small one medium and one large. The little ones first. Trilby felt hot, but he couldn't move. He was sure Sparky could handle it, yet he couldn't see any action. Sparky dived forward, the plasma grazing his body. He felt the tips of his fur grow hot, blackening. He darted, rolled, dived. Past the medium sized one.

"STOP!"

He leapt into the small one, antenna sparking. Then he saw her.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

For the third time in as many minutes, Lilo found herself face up on the floor. Hands clamped around tufts of yellow fur. Her jubilation manifested, she almost screamed, the little ball of lightning in her hands clasping her in a strong embrace. She felt him buzz with relief they shared. Not a word was said. Save for the uncomfortable sound of shuffling around them. She grinned in delight, more at herself than anyone else. Lilo felt content for the first time in days. She felt they were one step closer to her goal. The returning contentment, shattered in that instant. She felt the worry seep into her again. Her goal? The other experiments were still in danger.

Sparky felt her embrace, she was here! Safe. The perpetual feeling of worry- now void in the wake of their meeting. Lilo meant more than even she knew. She was the keystone for the experiments. The reminder of what goodness they had become. Without her… There was no telling what the experiments would become. To meet her again now, safe, was like the first ray of sunshine breaching the lighthouse - he'd always had the best view.

Trilby felt his limbs regain animation. Though he still moved like a rheumatic. His reflexes felt slow, which was unhelpful. He gritted his teeth, before noticing that time seemed to have stopped. No one moved. He shuffled forward to see what they stared intently at. Lilo! She must have escaped when the power went off. But the other people. The small one was in command. He was signalling the other two to hold off. He knew they hadn't seen him, hence he stayed low. Why was Lilo with these aliens. Did they capture her? Trilby crept forward, he could find out.

Sparky, finally turned to the blaster levelled at his face. He looked above him to the huge face looming above him, two fists pulled back. Sparky snarled back, jumping in front of Lilo. He should protect her. But they didn't flinch. They both looked at the little grey alien who was looking at him through a pair of goggles. One arm in the air, the other changing settings on his goggles. Whatever he was doing, he didn't like it. He tried to scare them again by letting electricity fizz up his antenna. Lilo put a hand on his shoulder shaking her head.

"Negid, I'd like you to meet…"

"Negid? Unusual for an Yiggik." All eyes turned toward Negid's leg were Trilby stood arms folded. He smiled a devilish smile at Lilo and Sparky. Sparky returned the grin, while Lilo seemed dumbfounded. The other aliens followed suit with their own brand of reaction. Janqe's target swapped instantly but he didn't fire. Hoklert flailed his mighty head, trying to figure out who to loom over. Negid's goggles actually slipped off his head again. Trilby allowed the shock to sink in. Negid's eyes lit up with fear as he saw Trilby. Trilby's antenna were now clamped around his leg. Trilby leant up against his leg, in a thoroughly nonchalant fashion.

"I'm sure I don't have to explain how much electricity I can pump into your body." Trilby scratched his fur. "So I was thinking you could answer a couple of questions, else… And I'm sure it won't come to this, but I may fill you with enough electricity to power this ship. Oh what I wouldn't do for my friends, you know?"

"Trilby!?" Lilo gasped in a mixture of surprise and desperation, "Don't hurt him."

"Can we trust these people, Lilo? How do I know I won't bet blasted as soon as I let go." He shot a look toward Janqe, masked and steady. Lilo looked Trilby in the eye. They still didn't trust each other. But common cause was easily conveyed. Trilby was trying to fix his mistake, and Lilo was in sympathy for the little impersonator. Being thrown unceremoniously into a world confusion. It was tough: she knew.

"Yes, Trilby, you can." Trilby let go of Negid's leg, he fell back panting like a dog, sweat beads covered his face. Clearly, he didn't handle pressure so well. Janqe holstered his blaster. Folded his arms and leaned back. He wasn't bothered. Hoklert was still confused, and Negid was catching his breath. The mayhem calming to little more than a pant from Negid. Silence ensued as the group began to contemplate the situation. The atmosphere was rife with hostility, and the armistice hung in the air. The composed members were forced to sit, engulfed in awkward silence. As the veil of confused head shaking and gasping ensued.

"My word… He listened… Lilo I didn't believe you before, but such irrefutable proof… You are smarter than I thought… smarter and braver." Negid rasped, his voice tinged with the telltale note of fear. Trilby moved next to Sparky, everyone seemed to notice then- that they were identical. Trilby looked between the three aliens. He felt electricity in the air, or tension, or both. But he knew compromise. It all depended on what they wanted.

"Why are these people helping you? They clearly don't know much about us."

"Lilo, I think you better tell us everything." Negid and Trilby asked simultaneously.

And everyone else in the corridor nodded.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"Why do you want to meet Jumba?" Trilby floated beside Negid's head. They were on the move again. Though the confusion was mitigated, and to a lesser extent the tension. Yet it lingered, the notes of suspicion and confusion playing the discordant harmony.

"He was an old friend of mine and Janqe. It's actually how we met… Ik ji," The group turned right. Lilo appreciated the light. Sparky floated at her head level, illuminating the darkness. Every tip of his hair glowed, cleaving the darkness before them. The ship's ghostly visage, the labyrinth broken. Sparky didn't speak English. But it was clear to all. He was the bodyguard now, he would do the fighting. Thus as long as Lilo and Trilby weren't in danger, he was fine with being led wherever they pleased. The same blissful blind trust could not be said for Trilby. Ever suspicious he was ruthlessly interrogating Negid the 'Yiggik'- Trilby had called him. Lilo witnessed the two extremes, they were very different, yet very close. She herself was bouncing between the two sides. On the one hand, she needed these aliens to help take back her friends. Even with the two yellow twins, Trilby and Sparky, at her side, there was no telling what Hamsterviel had up his sleeve. Yet she knew Trilby was right to be sceptical. Why did they want to meet Jumba? She knew Jumba had a knack for making dangerous enemies. Could these people become the next Hamsterviel when this was over. Her friend's safety versus her friend's safety.

Trilby stopped interrogating Negid, he flew back to where Lilo and Sparky were walking. He grinned at them both.

"I think I've pried enough," He laughed.

"I thought you had left us. Trilby," Lilo looked up at him with genuine gratitude. Trilby winked.

"I've got mistakes to fix,"

"Trilby? That's a hat?" Negid looked over his shoulder, head shrouded under the goggles.

"It's my name, Lilo gave it to me actually. It was supposed to be temporary, but I think I'll keep it now." Lilo took the compliment, and suddenly everyone was satisfied. In that instant. The group, moved faster- the purpose imbuing there mixed minds, and vulnerable spirits. Trilby rose to float beside Sparky.

"Can we trust him brother," Sparky asked with mild interest.

"He's a scientist all right. But he won't tell me why he wants to meet your creator."

"Jumba? They want to meet Jumba?"

"Yeah, but why?"

"Maybe they're friends, that's probably why he's helping us."

"Maybe," But surely it's not that simple, he thought. But maybe he really was just that- a friend.

"He doesn't like Hamsterviel."

"No surprises there." Sparky shrugged.

Trilby looked down, the energy seeming to seep out of him.

"Regardless, Hamsterviel… Well… He knows who created me…"

"And you want to find out?"

"I do," Suddenly the corridors seemed to get colder. The encroaching darkness eating at the edges of the light.

"Why does it matter, we're you're family now, right?" Sparky sounded slightly concerned. Only slightly, he was confident.

"It's just something I want to know. Piece of mind and all that,"

"Hmm, so we find Hamsterviel, and make him tell you,"

Trilby responded with a nod, then smiled appreciatively. To Sparky everything was so simple, and that encouraged him. He had a tendency to over think things, and he knew it. Perhaps instead of standing back, he should step forward.

Once Negid was happy they were close enough he stopped the group, they huddled like the sceptical, mismatch that they were.

"Lilo, my dear, you want to save all the experiments and get them back to Earth, yes?"

"I do," She grinned.

"But your experiment friends are useless while the sonic wave is active. That's why you need us. So I say, we can commandeer this vessel. The captain's command room, gives complete control over many ship functions including speakers."

"But this ship's on high alert, that room will be locked down, its impenetrable." Trilby perked up, he sat on the floor, deep in contemplation.

"Not if you know how to get passed it, little hat." Trilby smirked back. "Undoubtedly it will be defended, heavily." He pointed at Sparky and Trilby- stood together identical save for the ovals." We need you two to take down as many guards as you can, I will be opening the room itself. Lilo, you might want to stay out of any fights." Negid promptly turned round and explained the situation to his bodyguards. Trilby was still thinking when Sparky jabbed him painfully in the back. Trilby turned, catapulted out of his silent mantra.

"Hello? Trilby anyone there?"

"What is it?"

"I got most of what he said but… Could you?" Trilby rolled his eyes, then proceeded to translate what Negid had said. Sidelining his thoughts, his suspicions.

"Right, are we all ready," Negid looked excited, like a child before a rollercoaster ride. "My, the tension it's so terribly infectious." He muttered the last statement, almost shaking with ecstasy. His stalwart guards at his side, face smothered by embellished goggles and a grey maw of a coat, laden with pockets. Pockets with bulges- the telltale sign of occupation. Whatever he had in them had yet to be seen.

The group neared the door which led into the huge cylindrical room. The glow from the two experiments lighting its full height. They felt a gentle shudder, as the ship adjusted but in the dim glow it felt more like the animal about to wake. Negid and his portable screen appeared just in front of the door the green tinged square of no substance, overriding the security lockdown system. The silence, whether from awe, or anticipation. Fed the fires that burned, the fiery resolve they bore. Reasoning and motivation aside, the fever of the inevitable. With each wave of the hand before the screen. Every flash a mark of fate on the timeline, the time drawing nearer.

"Sparky spark this door, would you," His voice breaking in hysteria. Sparky complied. Sparking the door, the resounding groan reverberating. It was loud, obvious.

The door opened, the darkness that met them unsettled them. No plasma, no explosion or voice. Trilby held up the group, with a yellow paw.

"Could be an ambush, stay here." He landed, cutting his glow. He scampered with inherent stealth, into the dark. Night vision clearing the darkness before him, enlightening the emptiness of the room. Disabled drones littered the floor like rats and the once cleanly santitised room had gained a smell of metal, melting metal. It was almost exactly the same as before: Cubicle upon cubicle; stack upon stack. Empty and lifeless cubicles. That was to be expected. Evacuation, command centre was always the first target, so moving your Techy's out of the room was a popular drill. It was devoid of soldiers; that unsettled him. Did they all rebel? Surely some still believed he would pay up? He crawled back to the group shaking his head.

"No one here." Something was wrong, he read it on Negid's face as well. He frowned, lifting his goggles. They moved forward, the seeds of suspicion and confusion sowed in secret.

They moved through the room, cleaving the dark before them. Negid prepared his screen as they reached the metal and plexi- exterior of the room. However, the security plating had disappeared and the door was open. Moving into the circular room, embellished with cushions and shiny objects- speaking volumes about its previous occupant. The room was empty. Not only that, the bank of options, buttons and screens had been melted. Almost entirely disintegrated, down to the base wiring. Save for one screen- a security camera.

"Unbelievable." Lilo watched the screen with intent, followed by the gazes of the others.

"Hamsterviel!" Trilby watched with anger.

The camera screen showed Hamsterviel pointing and shouting, and though there was no audio it was clear what he was saying. He stood in a launch bay, red faced as soldiers loaded a ship with a throne. Gantu and Reuben were sitting idly in the background. He was running away.


	40. Chapter 40

"He's running away!" Sparky flew next to Trilby snarling at the screen like it worked both ways. The visual itself prompted Trilby to plunge into the recesses of this mind again. The other members of the group gave tame reactions to the camera view. Even Lilo hardly seemed phased by the information.

"Well this makes this much harder. Can't say I'm surprised… Yet for this Hamster it was worth a try." Negid was bent over exposed wires poking at disabled motherboards.

"But what about him?" Trilby pointed at the red faced rodent. Whose mouth was stretched to its limits in frustrated agony.

"Him? He'll escape, he always does. Lilo, my dear, we need to get to the other generator, it's relatively close." Negid's features ruffled in abject nonchalance. As if he had expected this. "This place is destroyed,"

"You're just going to let him go?" Trilby's outburst resonating around the circular wall. Eyes turned, the faces distorted in a confused visage. Negid turned with slow indignation. He squinted at the little experiment, a look that seemed to go straight through him. Trilby wavered. Something about the look unsettled him. But he was unrelenting here, Sparky's influence. Smoke gathered in the room, toxic and pungent, it stung their eyes, dulled senses, the irritable sensation pulsing through them.

"Very well, Trilby, you're smart. What would you have us do?" The question burned on his mind. He knew what he wanted to do, the plan was laid bare, he only had to say it. Yet he hesitated, the silence broadening to seconds. He felt the eyes on him, the pressure of their gaze. What would I be willing to risk for an answer? He thought.

"We split up." He felt the words drop like stones. "If half of us get Hamsterviel before he takes off, the other half can infiltrate the system. They may have rigged the ship to blow up. Hamsterviel can be very bitter, and having him gives us leverage."

"Why don't we all get Hamsterviel, Trilby?" Lilo perked up, she clearly wasn't happy with the arrangement. Trilby opened his mouth to explain, but the words came from a different mouth.

"If Hamsterviel's flight becomes common news people will panic. We need to make sure people are willing to help land this ship. If this thing crash lands there will be injuries… Lots of serious injuries."

Negid smiled, fingering a whisker as he did so, his goggles concealed his eyes. No one questioned further but the shrugs from Sparky and Janqe the grunt from Hoklert and Lilo's 'hmm'. Was hardly valid rebuttal.

"Well, dear Trilby, what should these groups be I ask, I wonder how much time we have to spare."

"None,"

The rhythmic beat of foot to metal filled the next couple of minutes. The shuttle bay was not far by the ships standards, though it still took minutes to alight outside the room. Trilby sped through the corridors unhampered by slow company. Instead he had Hoklert carefully cradling Negid as he barrelled after Trilby. It simply gave Trilby no end of satisfaction watching Negid try to contain his fear, his goggles had fallen down and his eyes betrayed fearful agony at the danger he was in. Amusing yet odd, Trilby only needed Hoklert to provide the muscle. It was a wonder he had agreed to come. It would have been just as easy had he gone with the others, Trilby surmised. Yet he was curious too. Negid was a scientist, a field scientist. It would be interesting to see just how good a field scientist he was.

Lilo ran, but it was barely faster than Janqe's walking speed. Trilby was elsewhere, so she was the one in charge now. Or she assumed. Janqe had said very little after they had first met. Maybe it had something to do with him speaking a different language. But he was one of those quiet, commando types. Regardless, it was her job now to make the decisions. Sparky hovered in front of them to light the path. The generator was 'relatively close', Negid had said. But how close was relatively close? Lightning darted from Sparky's antenna. Fizzling out of existence as quickly as it had come. Janqe turned a corner, and Lilo followed.

"So you know where this Generator is then, Janqe?" She glanced at the white visor where the scaly Henchman's eyes were. He nodded, without making a sound he turned another corner, Lilo let him lead the way. "We should think of a plan, Sparky could zap them, but then they couldn't help land the ship could they?" Again she glanced up. The bolts of lightning shone against the white of his armour, the glow gave him a shiny aura. His silence was unnerving now.

The door split against the onslaught. Hoklert fell headfirst into the room, the resounding crash bouncing off the walls as Trilby hopped into the room, on lighter feet. Negid stepped into the door likewise but he was dishevelled from the journey. The room glittered the same white, but the lights were on, the torrent of light shone upon the floor. Debris layered the room, glittering items, pillows and cushions. In its place the empty silence that followed the crashes was as deafening as the crashes themselves.

"You must have known we wouldn't catch him?" Trilby turned. Negid was adjusting his messy clothing and hair, he replaced his goggles atop his head and gazed curiously at Trilby. Trilby glanced aside- he had.

"At least I tried, you would have just let him go."

Negid chuckled, " Leaving him, was the sensible thing, the smart thing to do. But you went and tried anyway. You're so much smarter than the rest of Jumba's experiments but you have the same impulse problems. I should congratulate him when I meet him you're the best experiment he's made. What number are you, by the way? Hoklert picked himself up out of the rubble, groaning.

Trilby darted about the room, after finding nothing of interest he landed in front of Negid.

"Jumba... Isn't my creator." Negid frowned. Trilby sighed, "I was hydrated on Earth- but Jumba didn't make me. I tried to catch Hamsterviel so he would tell me, but now he's gone..."

"But you look like one of Jumba's, I don't know anyone else who designs you like he does. That's actually why I want to see him. His experiment's are wreaking havoc in space, and I want to see if I can work with him," Negid shrugged. "I learnt English so that I could. Just promise you won't tell Janqe." Negid grinned his classic grin. Trilby looked at Negid, head tilted in confusion.

"What are you talking about, Negid?"

"The federation is chasing his experiments round in circles it's actually quite entertaining, I think you are my favourite though." He said nonchelantly, Trilby's confusion was plain on his face,

"All the experiments are here, now, on this ship. They can't be in space. Besides Jumba wouldn't do that. Whatever you find, 'entertaining' is not Jumba's."

"But that's impossible, Only Jumba creates experiments like that, and Jumba protects all his blueprints on that computer of his. Trust me I've tried to steal it before." Hoklert stood to his full height and stretched. Trilby considered the information for a time, his creator had made other experiments, that were fighting the federation.

"Negid, whoever is copying Jumba's designs must be the one who designed me." Negid gestured wildly, messing up the clothes he had just reorganized.

"Even if that is true why would he send you to Earth?"

"I was supposed to help Hamsterviel capture the experiments." Hoklert shuffled taking out a water bottle of some sort.

"Trilby, I know Jumba this has his fingers all over it."

"When was the last time you talked to him," Negid considered the question. "Just before he got caught for that 626 case. But he can't have changed that much."

A grunt interrupted the conversation. Hoklert smiled a dumb grin.

"Ki no mosin," Hoklert drew a large green ball.

Negid and Trilby understood. 'Ball into liquid'.

The ship shook suddenly, Janqe caught Lilo as she tumbled. Sparky jumped to the floor to check her. "I'm all right, What was that?" She brushed herself off. Janqe was staring off in the direction of the sound. "Should we just keep going?"

"I wasn't sure he'd actually be able to do it. Trusting anything to Hoklert is a risk."

Lilo almost collapsed again, Janqe could speak English. Sparky seemed surprised too. "Yes, I speak English, Jumba did have an odd attachment to the language," Janqe unscrewed his helmet tossing it to the ground. Sparky reared back in surprise. "Don't overload yourself 221 I have a job for you two." He turned, the scaly lizard like face an odd mix of satisfaction and business. "You want to save your friends, yes?"

"Do you recognise him, Sparky? Who is he?"

"Assistant!"


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The world span, suspended in a maelstrom of green light. With ferocity it tore at the walls, the few moments of incomprehension- stretched to its limits. Sudden, explosive fury displaced rubble- catapulting it at corresponding walls. The swirling light escalated, building- the blinding aura becoming unfathomable. But as sudden as it began it ended. Subsiding into a glimmer.

It took Trilby moments to understand, and frozen in perpetual surprise for the duration, he began to wonder who it was he was about to see. He felt strangely calm, the imposing light not phasing him, it was comfortable actually, he thought, and pretty too.

As Trilby's eyes adjusted once more, he noticed the figure left behind by the light. Trilby's thoughts gathered once again. He is small, especially for the entrance he made, shorter than me. Trilby stood, having fallen of the pile of cushions he had been standing on- now scattered far and wide. The figure grew more focused as his eyes adjusted once again. It was green- obviously- with a trail of white fur tracing the length of its body curling over its head and under its eyes. It stretched bearing its chest, with thin arms, it flexed. Regaining the feeling in its arms, as the rehydration process was normalising. He looks scrawny, he thought. Even as experiments go, this one is smaller and thinner. Trilby felt his scepticism kick in. Trilby heard a groan. Hoklert had been thrown into a wall, He'd dented it, Trilby realised, and lay sprawled on the floor. Behind him Negid was sitting, more dishevelled than ever, staring in surprise at the figure. Neither said a word, but their eyes met in mutual confusion. Looking back the experiment had stopped stretching and was now scratching its ear.

The silence lengthened slowly, the dust settling. The experiment was indeed not one of Jumba's nor did it feel similar. In fact, the atmosphere didn't feel the same, but he couldn't identify it. He heard Negid shift uncomfortably, Trilby resisted the urge to do the same. The trouble is, Trilby thought, talking might provoke it. But Trilby decided he'd break the silence.

"Hi there..." He marshalled his thoughts once again. It was looking at him now. "My name is Trilby," He hesitated- maybe it didn't understand English. It sat down again a tiny furry green ball and smiled.

"Hello, I'm…" He stopped mid-sentence to yawn, "Inigen- nice to meet you." Trilby sparked, satisfied. It seems friendly enough, he thought. Shuffling behind him again, Negid was standing brushing himself.

"And I'm Negid, I beg your pardon, I didn't address you immediately. You came as a bit of a surprise I'm afraid."

"Don't worry, I get that a lot- oh," Inigen looked toward the strewn cushions. "Darn, I've already sat down," he shrugged nonchalantly. Trilby glanced toward the door, circular and split like a ball through paper. Trilby remembered the pressing situation.

"We should talk more Inigen, but there is somewhere important I have to be." Trilby turned toward the door. If the experiment was meant to beat them then it wasn't interested. Besides it doesn't look like it can outrun me, even when I'm not lightning fast.

"Yes, we really must be going, I calculated the time we have. This detour was fun but we really must press on." Negid looked toward Hoklert's slumped groaning body. "Can you carry me?" Negid began walking toward the door.

Trilby grinned, "I might drop you?" He joked, He sparked into the air, letting it cycle through his pores and antenna. He floated to his level and matched his pace.

"Well, my suit is about twenty percent tech, and eighty percent rubber. I virtually bounce." Negid pointed to his overcoat. It covered most of his body, down to just above the knees. It was a muddy brown, especially against Trilby's glorious yellow.

"Not very sciency, is it?" Trilby poked at the coat, it bounced back.

"It's comfortable as well you know?"

"You wouldn't see me wearing it." Trilby laughed.

"I think you're a size too small," Inigen waved from across the room, from where he was sat.

"He's right," Trilby sighed in mock disappointment,

"Tragic," Negid surmised.

"Let's go shall we?" Trilby felt the air shimmer. Like a soft dizzying breeze. Trilby and Negid felt the pulse.

"Oh are you leaving so soon?" Inigen called from amongst the pile of cushions he'd been eyeing. Negid and Trilby looked between the spot he had been and the spot he was now sitting.

"Did you just…?" Trilby frowned.

"Oh so worth it." Inigen nestled into the cushion pile. He shifted until he was comfortable, and stared at the pair.

"Can you teleport?" Trilby jumped to the ground again, suddenly aware. Negid reached inside his coat and started fumbling around.

"Not exactly." Inigen smiled. He rested his head on his arm. The green fur between the red velvet of the cushion. The white fur pulsed, resonating.

"Are you here to stop us? Because you aren't doing a very good job." Trilby dropped to a condescending tone.

"You're still here aren't you." Trilby narrowed is eyes in suspicion. The if the intent of the experiment was to stop them he had just put himself on the wrong side of the room.

"I can leave anytime." Trilby challenged. Negid drew a disc shaped gadget from his coat, and started pressing a series of buttons, which spawned more buttons and blinking lights. Trilby glanced at it, but couldn't discern its use from a distance.

"Then why do you stay? Must be because I'm so interesting," He yawned again. "Flattering, really."

Trilby knew mockery. He was quite good at it himself. He turned away, and began walking toward the open door. He modelled his steps making a conscious effort to turn back and return the mockery

"See you soon," Inigen waved. Trilby ignored him, and walked away. He'd wasted enough time. His friends were waiting and he hadn't the time to spare. The door was wide open, too big to block.

Suddenly the floor disappeared, Trilby fell landing, a second later, on the floor with an audible thump. Trilby leapt to his feet, looking around wildly. He felt dizzy, as the world adjusted once again.

"What did you do!?" Trilby shouted, disorientated. Negid looked down at him, surprised that Trilby was now on his feet.

"Back already?" Inigen said through clenched teeth. He seemed to be fighting back laughter. He put a hand over his mouth to contain it.

Trilby glared at him. The lightning welled up sparking along his antenna. "This ship is going to crash if I don't get to the others! Are you going to let that happen."

"Really! Why didn't you say sooner? Go!" Trilby jumped into the air sparking he dashed toward the door. The air seemed to swallow him, spiting him up at the back of the room.

"I'm serious I need to get to the Generator!" He tried again faster this time. Inigen was laughing hysterically rolling on the cushion, Trilby shut out the noise of the laughter and pushed forward as fast as lighting could go. He reached the door almost instantly, but instead of appearing at the back of the room again, as he had expected, he careered into the wall on the other side, falling and hitting surfaces weren't often a problem but at light speed Trilby felt the shuddering force. Trilby was so jarred by the impact that he dropped through the floor. He fell through the ceiling landing on a cushion beside Inigen, who was trying as hard as possible to stifle the laughter. Trilby leapt into the air, only to drop back onto the cushion in frustration. Worry dogged his thoughts, and could feel the time slip by.

"Why are you doing this! Everyone is in danger and I need to help. Please." He begged.

"Calm down, buddy." Inigen choked on his laughter again. Trilby gritted his teeth and glared, he folded his arms and waited for coherent sentences. When they came it came with heavy breaths. "Everything's fine."

"How could you possibly know!?"

"Well I don't really," Trilby's anger was such that one wrong word and he'd start zapping. Something in his face must have given it away, he thought, as the next lines Inigen said were more tactical.

"Look, If we are in danger, and I'll know if we are, my protocol is to get us both safely off the ship."

"But it's the others who are in the most danger."

"Look my job is to keep you in this room. My job isn't to get you off the ship but to keep you on it, which implies the ship is not supposed to fall out the sky, I think."

"But there is still a risk, and I could reduce the risk."

"I think if Janqe really needed your help he wouldn't have told me to keep you in here." Inigen lay back on the cushion again and sighed, "Either way, I can't let you leave, so I suggest you get comfortable," Trilby remembered something and looked around the room. "Yeah your friend left about five minutes ago. I don't think he realised you are the only one I have to keep in here."

Trilby sighed, defeated he lay back on the cushion- which was particularly comfortable. He brushed his fur and stared at the ceiling thinking about what Sparky was doing right now. Probably something interesting. Zapping something or someone, anything but lying on a cushion captive of a mysterious green experiment with an annoying sense of humour. He lay on his own cushion a metre away. Trilby sat up hearing the words again.

"Janqe? What's he got to do with anything?" Inigen sat up and looked at him, confused for a second before remembering.

"Oh right- he said they'd messed around with your memory," He lay back down and stretched, straining the words.

"Janqe is our creator,"


End file.
